FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-26-00

AASU Ranked No. 1 In NFCA Softball Top 25

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State softball team is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll, released today.

The top ranking is the first for head coach Marty McDaniel's squad, which began play just three seasons ago. AASU finished its inaugural fastpitch softball season with a 27-22 record in 1998, then last season achieved a high ranking of No. 22 en route to a 40-10 mark. This season, the Pirates began the season ranked No. 11 and were as high as No. 3 twice before this week's poll.

The Pirates are on a 12-game winning streak and are currently 46-4 on the year. AASU has an 8-1 record against teams ranked in the Top 25 and has recorded five shutouts in those eight wins.

The softball squad joins a select group of AASU sports to be recognized as No. 1 – the baseball team has been No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 25 numerous times in five different seasons, including finishing the 1989 and 1990 seasons ranked at the top; the men's basketball team ascended to the top of the NCAA Division II rankings during the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons; and the women's tennis team finished the 1995 and 1996 seasons as the No. 1 team in the country after capturing its two NCAA Division II National Championships.

- Pirates -