Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Ranked #31 In Both National Polls
04/02/2003 | 12:00:00 | Softball
April 2, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University softball team is ranked #31 in both national polls this week. SIU moved up to #31 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll this week with 5 votes after being ranked #34 last week. The Salukis also fell from #28 last week to #31 in this week's National Fastpitch Coaching Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll with 6 votes.
"I'm just happy that we're ranked in both polls and have been ranked for seven weeks now. I wish the win over #6 Nebraska would have been in the coaches votes, but we played on Monday after the votes were turned in. We need to take care of business this weekend and everything will take care of itself next week," said Kerri Blaylock, SIU head coach.
The Salukis went 4-1 last week with a sweep of SEMO and by winning two of three games over Creighton in Omaha, Neb. last weekend. The votes were sent in before SIU beat #6 Nebraska 2-1 in Lincoln, Neb. on Monday to improve to 21-5 overall and 7-2 overall.
The NFCA ranking the last seven weeks is the longest SIU has been in a national poll in school history. The first 2003 ranking seven weeks ago was the first since the late 1990s, when SIU was ranked in the thirties in the NFCA poll.
SIU host Drake this weekend in a three-game series at Charlotte West Stadium - Rochman Field.
