Softball Checks In at No. 23 in First National Poll of the Season
TEXARKANA, Texas — The Texas A&M University–Texarkana softball team has been ranked No. 23 in the nation in the season's first national poll, marking an impressive start to the 2026 campaign.
The Eagles sit at 12-4 overall and remain unbeaten in conference play at 6-0, building momentum early behind strong performances in the circle and at the plate.
Softball will look to carry that success into a challenging weekend at the Gulf Shores Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama. TAMUT is set to face receiving votes Freed-Hardeman, receiving votes Tennessee Southern, and will close out the tournament against No. 8 Central Methodist.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Raiders of Southern Oregon remain at the top of the first regular-season NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 poll behind 11 first-place votes. The remaining first-place votes were spread across five different teams: No. 2 Eastern Oregon (1), No. 3 Oklahoma City (3), No. 4 Oregon Tech (2), Madonna (Mich.), and Our Lady of the Lake (1).
| TREND | RANK | LAST TIME | INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] | RECORD | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | 1 | 1 | Southern Oregon [11] | 16-6 | 499 |
| ▲ | 2 | 3 | Eastern Oregon [1] | 11-3 | 481 |
| ▼ | 3 | 2 | Oklahoma City [3] | 11-3 | 438 |
| ▲ | 4 | 10 | Oregon Tech [2] | 16-2 | 433 |
| ▲ | 5 | 9 | Science and Arts (Okla.) | 11-4 | 390 |
| ● | 6 | 5 | Marian (Ind.) | 4-0 | 385 |
| ▲ | 6 | 14 | Madonna (Mich.) [1] | 10-0 | 385 |
| ● | 8 | 8 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 9-3 | 361 |
| ▲ | 9 | 12 | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) [1] | 14-1 | 342 |
| ▲ | 10 | 19 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 15-2 | 301 |
| ▼ | 11 | 6 | Grand View (Iowa) | 6-6 | 295 |
| ▲ | 12 | 18 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 14-2 | 292 |
| ▼ | 13 | 7 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 11-5 | 290 |
| ▲ | 14 | RV | Keiser (Fla.) | 14-2 | 255 |
| ▲ | 15 | 16 | Missouri Baptist | 9-5 | 238 |
| ▼ | 16 | 13 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 13-5 | 237 |
| ▲ | 17 | 25 | Evangel (Mo.) | 12-4 | 228 |
| ▼ | 18 | 17 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 12-5 | 210 |
| ▼ | 19 | 11 | Midland (Neb.) | 11-6 | 177 |
| ▲ | 20 | RV | Mobile (Ala.) | 9-4 | 170 |
| ▼ | 21 | 4 | Georgia Gwinnett | 8-10 | 152 |
| ▲ | 22 | RV | William Carey (Miss.) | 12-4 | 150 |
| ▼ | 23 | 22 | Texas A&M -Texarkana (Texas) | 12-4 | 136 |
| ▼ | 24 | 21 | Hope International (Calif.) | 12-7 | 130 |
| ▲ | 25 | NR | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 12-2 | 129 |
| Dropped from Top 25: Reinhardt (Ga.), Indiana Wesleyan, Saint Xavier (Ill.), Rio Grande (Ohio) | |||||
| Receiving Votes: Coastal Georgia 98; Reinhardt (Ga.) 91; Saint Xavier (Ill.) 84; Dordt (Iowa) 71; Faulkner (Ala.) 61; Benedictine (Kan.) 47; College of Idaho 46; Tennessee Southern 44; Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) 32; Ottawa (Kan.) 19; Campbellsville (Ky.) 18; Indiana Wesleyan 14; Williams Baptist (Ark.) 14; Rio Grande (Ohio) 13; Cumberland (Tenn.) 8; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 5; Oklahoma Wesleyan 4; British Columbia (B.C.) 3; Indiana Tech 3; Avila (Mo.) 3; Texas A&M - Victoria 3; Aquinas (Mich.) 2 |
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