LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Trine University softball team is the third best team in the nation according to the newest edition of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Salisbury University claimed the top spot in the poll after beginning the season undefeated and Christopher Newport University dropped one spot to second after losing a pair of games to ranked opponents. The Thunder also dropped a spot from the preseason iteration of the poll where they were ranked second.
Trine opened the season going 10-2 during their spring break trip. Both losses came to top-ten teams in the poll, one to sixth-ranked Virginia Wesleyan University and one to the Captains. The Thunder picked up wins over a pair of nationally ranked opponents including fifth ranked Berry College and 12th ranked Pfeiffer University.
The team swept the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Softball Athlete of the Week awards after the successful trip to the south. Senior Anna Koeppl, named pitcher of the week, led the team in the circle picking up three wins and posting a perfect 0.00 earned run average during her four games of work. Freshman Emma Lee led the team offensively posting an impressive .391 batting average, .417 on-base percentage and .696 slugging percentage during the week.
Trine will continue their run of difficult games this upcoming weekend as they face off with a pair of nationally-ranked opponents at the 2023 Pioneer Classic. They will open the weekend on Saturday, March 18 by facing 11th ranked Linfield University at 10 a.m. before taking on Hanover College. On Sunday, March 19 the team will start the day with DePauw University at 10 a.m. before facing 13th ranked Transylvania University.