Complete NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll

TACOMA, Wash. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association dropped the latest installment of the Division III Top 25 Poll on Tuesday with the Northwest Conference Regular Season Champion Pacific Lutheran University softball team entering the 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament ranked 22nd in the nation.

PLU (34-10) remained 22nd for the second consecutive week, collecting 40 points in the poll. The Lutes sit 10 points shy of 21st-ranked Westfield State University (38-1) in Massachusetts while enjoying a 20-point buffer on Iowa's Wartburg College (31-10). 

Virginia Wesleyan University (45-0) remains the undisputed No. 1 team with 250 points and all 10 first place endorsements. University of Redlands (38-4) climbs up two spots to second in the nation while Texas Lutheran University (37-4) holds steady at No. 3. Defending national champion Trine University (32-4) slumps from No. 2 to No. 4 while NWC Tournament Champion Linfield University (37-6) rounds out the top five. 

The Lutes are heading to McMinnville, Oregon for the NCAA Regional that will feature host Linfield along with at-large selection Transylvania University (Ky.) and America East Conference Champion Marymount University (Va.). PLU will face Transylvania on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and will face either Linfield or Marymount on Friday depending on the outcome of the opening day of games.