The defending national champion West Texas A&M softball team was unanimously voted as the number one team in the 2015 NFCA Division II preseason poll. They return their star pitcher Rita Hokianga and star batter Renee Erwin to help them try to repeat as champions. Valdosta State, who finished as national runners-up last year, is ranked second in the preseason poll. Dixie State and Southeastern Oklahoma State, who both made the national semifinals last year, round out the top three and four spots respectively.

1. National Fastpitch Coaches Association
Contact: Brian Stanley, NFCA Director of Media Relations,
502-409-4600, brian@nfca.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Defending Champion West Texas A&M is Unanimous No. 1 in 2015 NFCA Division II
Preseason Poll
January 28, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Coming off its first national championship, West Texas A&M (60-7) was
the unanimous No. 1 selection in the 2015 NFCA Division II Preseason Poll that was released by
the Association on Wednesday.
Coming off a historic campaign, which included an undefeated run through the NCAA Division
II Softball Championships, the Lady Buffs received all 16 first place votes to earn the top spot in
the poll. It is a position West Texas A&M held the majority of the 2014 season. National runner-
up Valdosta State (48-15) is not far behind in the second spot with 381 points.
The Lady Buffs, under the direction of NFCA Division II National Coach of the Year Kevin
Blaskowski, are also favorites in the Lone Star Conference, a spot ahead Angelo State, who starts
the season ranked 11th
. Preseason LSC Player and Pitcher of the Year, Renee Erwin and Rita
Hokianga return to lead WT. Erwin batted .459 with 20 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs and 75
RBI. In addition, she scored 81 runs, slugged .902 and recorded a .574 on base percentage.
Hokianga went 29-3 with 2.11 ERA, 283 strikeouts and eight shutouts, while holding batters to a
.195 average in 212.1 innings of work.
Valdosta State was also picked as its league’s preseason favorites, topping the Gulf South
preseason poll and looking to claim its seventh straight GSC crown. The Blazers finished just six
points ahead of No. 12 Alabama Huntsville. Guided by 10th-year head coach Thomas Macera,
VSU returns three-time Gulf South and 2014 South Region Player of the Year, Courtney
Albritton. Albritton is coming off a season in which she generated an NCAA-best 27 home runs
to go along with 83 runs scored and 200 total bases, all GSC single season records. In addition,
she batted .437, slugged .939 and only struck out five times in 249 plate appearances.
Last year’s NCAA semifinalists Dixie State (51-10) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (45-20)
came in at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, while another championship participant Wayne
State/Mich. (46-12) rounded out the top five.
The next three squads, West Chester (42-22), LIU Post (50-11) and Armstrong Atlantic (36-15)
also competed in last year’s DII Softball National Championships. Rounding out the top 10 are
super regional participants, North Georgia (47-11) and Cal State Monterey Bay (48-12).
In all, 17 conferences were represented, eight of which had two programs each; California
Collegiate (Cal State Monterey Bay, Humboldt State), Great Lakes Valley (Indianapolis,
Missouri St. Louis), Gulf South (Alabama Huntsville, Valdosta State), Lone Star (West Texas,
Angelo State), Northern Sun (Winona State, Augustana (S.D.)) Pac West (Dixie State, California
Baptist), Peach Belt (Armstrong Atlantic, North Georgia) and the Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (West Chester, California (Pa.).
The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two
representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Final 2014 records and rankings are shown, first-
place votes are in parentheses.

2. NFCA Division II Preseason Softball Poll – January 28, 2015
Rank Team
2014
Record Totals
Final 2014
Poll
1 West Texas A&M (16) 60-7 400 1
2 Valdosta State 48-15 381 2
3 Dixie State 51-10 367 3
4 Southeastern Okla. St. 45-20 351 4
5 Wayne State (Mich) 46-12 311 7
6 West Chester 42-22 293 6
7 LIU Post 50-11 278 8
8 Armstrong Atlantic 36-15 273 5
9 North Georgia 47-11 240 10
10 Cal State Monterey Bay 48-12 238 11
11 Angelo State 41-16 226 16
12 Alabama-Huntsville 48-12 225 12
13 Missouri-St. Louis 49-8 203 13
14 Augustana (S.D.) 46-15 200 15
15 Caldwell 45-9 171 14
16 St. Mary's (Texas) 50-14 169 9
17 Tampa 33-8 133 18
18 Emporia State 49-14 111 20
19 Humboldt State 46-16 110 RV
20 West Virginia Wesleyan 46-15 102 17
21 Indianapolis 44-13 88 21
22 Winona State 48-9 58 24
23 California Baptist 46-13 56 19
24 California (Pa.) 37-7 41 23
25 Wingate 38-20 32 RV
Dropped Out of Final 2014 Poll: No. 22 Anderson (43-12), No. 25 Rollins (39-13).
Others Receiving Votes: Rollins (30), Southern New Hampshire (23), Texas Woman’s (23), Truman State
(17), Shorter (15), Anderson (12), Central Oklahoma (6), New Haven (6), Palm Beach Atlantic (5), USC
Aiken (3), Missouri Western (2), Lenoir Rhyne (1).
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