LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Christopher Newport’s continued dominance coupled with a stumble at the top steered the unbeaten Captains’ ship to the No. 1 spot in this week’s NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll.

Christopher Newport (21-0) rolled to a 8-0 week with more stellar play on both sides of the ball. The Captains have now outscored their opponents, 228-38, this season, and have been as stingy in the circle as their lineup has been prolific, with a 1.20 staff ERA by three freshmen and a junior. Christopher Newport will have its best test to date on Wednesday, when they travel to play a doubleheader at No. 3 Virginia Wesleyan, the reigning national champion and the Captains’ longtime regional rival.

Meanwhile, Salisbury (20-2) won six games last week — and seven straight overall — to remain firmly in the No. 2 position, and Belhaven (18-2) also went a perfect 6-0 prior to Monday’s 6-4 loss to No. 7 Birmingham-Southern to move up another spot to fourth.

Texas Lutheran (20-4) dropped from first to fifth following a road doubleheader split with previously unranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, while East Texas Baptist (18-5) and Birmingham-Southern (17-4) both leapfrogged Linfield (19-3), which dropped a contest in its marathon four-game Northwest Conference series with George Fox over the weekend. Eastern Connecticut (12-2) and Tufts (4-2) round out the top 10.

No. 22 Wartburg (13-5), which went 3-1 at Transylvania’s Pioneer Classic, is one of three poll newcomers this week, along with Loras (13-1) and Mary Hardin-Baylor (17-5), who tied for the 25th position. Loras’ lone loss was to Babson, the recipient of poll votes the first three weeks of the season.

The NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll is selected by 10 NCAA Division III head coaches representing the 10 NCAA regions. Current 2022 records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.

NFCA Division III Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll – March 22, 2022

Others receiving votes:  None.

Dropped out: Muskingum and The College of New Jersey.