MARIANNA, Fla. – Playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country was rewarded on Monday when the Lady Indians softball team found themselves ranked 11th in the first regular season NJCAA DI Softball Poll of 2024.
Chipola (14-8) has faced seven opponents that were ranked in the preseason poll, all away from Marianna, and won four including a win on February 16 over three-time defending National Champion and preseason #1, Florida SouthWestern State College. The Lady Bucs fell to #3 despite the Chipola loss being their only blemish.
Coach Kelly Brookins' ladies also have wins against the preseason #4, #7, and #16 teams. The Lady Indians dropped a pair of games on opening weekend in Texas to #6 McLennan and fell to #12 Indian River on February 17.
Two other teams that the Lady Indians have already faced this season jumped into the poll this week. San Jacinto College-South, a team Chipola defeated twice in Texas on opening weekend, entered the poll at #17. The College of Southern Idaho defeated the Lady Indians in Fort Myers and came in at #18.
The schedule won't get much easier for Chipola. Two other teams from the Panhandle Conference are also in the poll.
Northwest Florida (22-2), the preseason's second ranked team, held steady at number two and was poised to take over #1 but a pair of losses last week keep them from reaching the top. After an impressive 18-4 start to the season, the Lady Commodores of Gulf Coast State College debuted in the poll at #8. Chipola will play ten games against their two rivals before the season's end.
In all, eight Florida schools make up the twenty teams in the poll. The entire Top 20 can be viewed here.