News

Defending Champion Oregon Tech gets the nod at No. 1

11.15.2011

Oregon Tech's Taylor Schmidt.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Defending national champion Oregon Tech has claimed the top spot in the 2011 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Owls, who defeated California Baptist 1-0 on May 25 to capture the 2011 National Championship, received 17 of 20 first-place votes and earned 555 points. Oregon Tech, who went 42-13 during the 2011 season, jumps up 17 spots from last season’s final poll.

The Owls are led by reigning NAIA Coach of the Year Greg Stewart. He enters his eighth season at the helm for Oregon Tech with a record of 226-107-2. Stewart will lean on top junior pitcher Taylor Schmidt, who went 17-4 with a 2.02 ERA, and sophomore infielder Shauna Collins, who led the team with a .358 batting average.

Oregon Tech sophomore shortstop Shauna Collins.

Cal State San Marcos climbs two spots to No. 2 with 535 points and one first-place nod on the strength of a 47-11 record and fourth-place National Championship. No. 3 Oklahoma City creeps up six spots with 511 points and two first-place votes after concluding last season at No. 9 in the polls. No. 4 Central Baptist (Ark.) and No.5 Brenau (Ga.) complete the top five with 493 and 488 points, respectively. Cal State San Marcos and Central Baptist are the only holdovers from last season’s final top five.

New to the poll are Auburn Montgomery, Union (Tenn.), No. 20 Central Methodist (Mo.), No. 23 Corban (Ore.) and No. 25 Oklahoma Christian.

Oregon Tech’s highest-ever previous ranking was 10th, occurring on March 19, 2002. Oregon Tech joins former NAIA member California Baptist, Lubbock Christian (Texas), Mobile (Ala.), Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma City, former NAIA member Simon Fraser (B.C.) and Thomas (Ga.) as the only schools to appear at No. 1.

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)	2011 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	18	Oregon Tech (17)	42-13	555
2	4	Cal State San Marcos (1)	47-11	535
3	9	Oklahoma City (2)	48-14	511
4	5	Central Baptist (Ark.)	57-7	493
5	10	Brenau (Ga.)	41-9	488
6	6	Belhaven (Miss.)	50-12	483
7	7	Lubbock Christian (Texas)	52-12	457
8	12	Concordia (Calif.)	47-13	429
9	15	Shorter (Ga.)	46-15	407
10	11	Houston-Victoria (Texas)	37-18	382
11	8	Azusa Pacific (Calif.)	33-23	365
12	16	Bethel (Ind.)	38-8	347
13	RV	Auburn Montgomery (Ala.)	34-20	320
14	14	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	47-8	311
15	17	Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)	50-12	294
16	3	William Carey (Miss.)	54-8	284
17	RV	Union (Tenn.)	41-15	242
18	20	Williams Baptist (Ark.)	31-12	240
19	13	Reinhardt (Ga.)	40-11	239
20	RV	Central Methodist (Mo.)	41-15	171
21	22	Columbia (Mo.)	29-16	163
22	21	Mobile (Ala.)	36-18	153
23	RV	Corban (Ore.)	25-17	130
24	24	Saint Xavier (Ill.)	34-16	123
25	RV	Oklahoma Christian	40-14	106