INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - After claiming the runner-up spot in last weekend's South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the 24th-ranked Anderson University softball team climbed one spot and is ranked fifth in the Southeast Region in the NCAA's final weekly Division II Southeast Region rankings, as released late Wednesday afternoon.
Anderson (39-13) is one of five teams from the SAC in the regional rankings, along with Catawba (fourth), Carson-Newman (sixth), Wingate (ninth) and Lenoir-Rhyne (10th).
In the Southeast Region, Catawba, along with Peach Belt Tournament Champion North Georgia and Conference Carolinas' champion Limestone, will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with five more at-large selections scheduled to be unveiled on Monday, May 4.
North Georgia, ranked sixth nationally in the latest NFCA Coaches' Poll, tops the Southeast Region ranking for the third consecutive week, and is joined by fellow PBC-members Georgia College, which is ranked eighth in the country, and GRU Augusta, which held the third spot for the third straight week. Catawba, which was not ranked in the initial poll three weeks ago, leaped into fourth after holding the seventh slot a week ago.
While the Trojans climbed to fifth, Carson-Newman fell two spots after dropping two of three decisions in the SAC Tournament, with Armstrong also slipping two spots into seventh. After dropping to 10th a week ago, Young Harris moved back to eighth, while Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne each slipped one position to ninth and 10th, respectively.
