SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The eighth-ranked Cal State San Marcos softball team held steady at the top of the NCAA Division II West Regional rankings at No. 1 in the second poll of 2022, announced on Wednesday.
If the Cougars (36-8, 25-7 CCAA) can remain in the top two spots through the end of the regular season and the completion of the CCAA Conference Tournament, they would be in line to host one of next month’s West Region brackets.
The top seven spots in the West Region did not change this week as Concordia University Irvine (42-7), ranked No. 11 in the nation, remains in the region’s No. 2 slot. Chico State (34-11) comes in next at No. 3, followed by No. 4 Cal State Dominguez Hills (33-15), No. 5 Sonoma State (34-14), No. 6 Cal State Monterey Bay (31-17) and No. 7 Azusa Pacific (34-14) round out the top seven.
With its two wins over CUI last weekend, Biola (22-17) moved up two spots to No. 8 while Northwest Nazarene (25-17) dropped down to No. 9. Saint Martin’s (21-16) makes its 2022 regional debut in the No. 10 spot.
The CCAA continues to dominate the West Regional Poll with five teams in the regional rankings while the PacWest has three and the GNAC has two teams.
CSUSM leads Chico State (20-8 CCAA) by one game for the top spot in the CCAA standings with the magic number for the Cougars to win the regular-season title now at three. If CSUSM sweeps Humboldt on Friday and the Wildcats drop one game to Sonoma State, the Cougars will clinch the title.
The CUI Eagles (28-0 PacWest), whom CSUSM swept in a doubleheader on April 9 in Irvine, have already secured their conference regular-season title. Saint Martin’s, Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington are still competing for the GNAC regular-season title entering the final weekend.
In the midst of their best season in the NCAA Division II era, the Cougars will wrap up the regular season this weekend at Humboldt State (13-36, 6-26 CCAA).
