NFCA Announces Preseason DII Softball Top 25 Coaches Poll
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released its preseason GoRout Division II Top 25 poll on Tuesday.
NFCA / GoRout Division II Preseason Top 10
1. UT Tyler (16)
2. Tampa
3. Western Washington
4. Pace
5. Saginaw Valley State
6. North Georgia
7. Shippensburg
8. West Texas A&M
9. Augustana
10. Francis Marion
🥎 Two-time defending champs @uttylerpatriots preseason favorites in 2026 NFCA/@Go_Rout D2 Top 2⃣5⃣ Coaches Poll.
— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) January 20, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/KzPZn4blwz pic.twitter.com/yTzjYny6Ft
Back-to-back Reigning Champions UT Tyler Patriots are Unanimous Preseason Front-Runners
In 2025, NFCA Hall of Fame Head Coach Mike Reed, who has since switched from lead skipper to an administrative role, managed the Patriots to an overall record of 62-5 (.925) and 40-4 (.909) in the Lone Star Conference (LSC). UT Tyler kicked off last year's campaign with 16 victories in a row, and never let up.
The Patriots not only swept the LSC Softball Championship Tournament, but lost just a single game in the entire postseason (10-1). UT Tyler finished the campaign on a seven-game win streak, including a perfect 5-0 at the DII World Series, their second year in a row playing the minimum amount of games in the finals. It was the third time in program-history the Patriots brought home the hardware: 2025, 2024, and 2016 (Division III).
Despite the Patriots' change in leadership with Jason Miller now serving as the interim head coach, UT Tyler is expected to run it back in 2026.
Runner-Up Tampa Spartans Take No. 2
Tampa made its first-ever appearance in the National Championship in 2025, battling through a pair of "if necessary" games in the Regional and Super Regional, ultimately falling to UT Tyler in the best-of-three final series in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Tampa topped the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) with a 23-7 (.767) record in league play and a 48-12 (.800) record overall. Head Coach Leslie Kanter and the Spartans have been crowned SSC winners for the last four campaigns. Alongside Kanter is Katie Neubauer, who was recognized as one of nine National Assistant Coaches of the Year last season.
The Spartans will look to return to the finals and be the last team standing this time in 2026.
2025 GNAC Champions Follow at No. 3
The Western Washington Vikings won both the Great Northwestern Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season and conference tournament last year. National runners-up in 2024, the Vikings posted an overall record of 47-13 and 21-3 in conference matchups throughout the 2025 schedule.
Victims to UT Tyler twice in the finals, Western Washington gladly welcomes back nine returners and eighth-year Head Coach Sheryl Gilmore with hopes of garnering the program's first-ever title in its DII era.
Pace Settlers Aim to Build Upon Success in 2025
Pace Softball went a perfect 20-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) last season, as well as 48-13 (.787) overall in 2025. It was the most successful campaign in program history as the Settlers surpassed a previous single-season record of 33 triumphs.
Pace not only achieved a ticket to the National Championship but held their own (2-2), ending Shippensburg's and Saginaw Valley State's seasons. At the helm of the Settlers is Claudia Stabile in her 45th season, who will raise the bar even higher in 2026.
Saginaw Valley State Rounds Out Top 5
Saginaw Valley State recorded a 49-15 (.766) overall mark and 23-5 (.821) record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Regular season and GLIAC tournament champions, the Cardinals cruised through Regionals and outlasted UIndy in the three-game Super Regional to seal a spot in the DII National Championship tournament.
It was just the second time the program had hit that milestone, after first doing so in 2024. Following a decorated 2025 quest that included NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year and consecutive GLIAC Coach of the Year honors, Ryan Schalk will guide the program in 2026.
The complete DII Top 25 list is available on the NFCA website.
