[thesportscritic]

The Liberty University softball team’s run against some of the best teams in the country has drawn national attention, as the Lady Flames received the program’s first-ever vote in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll released earlier today.

click the link below to read the rest of the story.

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 37&TeamID=

[ATrain]

Well, we definitely proved we can play with the top 25. Lets hope VT stays ranked and we sweep them again like last year. How many teams make the NCAAs and does anyone think Liberty or anyone in the Big South can get an at-large this year?

[Sly Fox]

We would have to roll through the Big South to be considered for an at large. But its not impossible now that we have a couple of legit victories on our resume.

[WinthropEagleFan]

I don't know enough about softball to know what the chances of at-larges are, but LU is definitely playing well. Regardless of the postseason possibilities, the Big South race should be very interesting. Winthrop is having a very strong start, with some solid wins (beat UGA, who just dropped out of the rankings, and has beaten South Carolina today, who has received some votes), and a 30-10 record already. Radford was the preseason pick to win the conference and they've been pretty good too.

[givemethemic]

The Mich win definitely got some people's attention across the nation....like mentioned above we are going to really have to run the table and take care of business at home (espically this week) We can pick up alot of wins... still have road trip to UVA and Va Tech to improve the SOS... Also next year we will see alot of Tennessee... We are playing them to start the year in there Tourney and they are coming to play us in a double-header next year.... We have earned UT's respect....When Monica Abbott pitches 12 out of 14 innings in a mid-week non-conference DH that equals respect...Great start for the girls...

[thesportscritic]

well we got 2 votes this week in the the top 25 polls.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Big series coming up on Friday and Saturday when LU comes down to Rock Hill...

[ATrain]

Definitely a big series indeed, as Winthrop, Radford and LU are head and shoulders above the other half of the conference in softball this season.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Just found this site:

http://www.fullysports.com/softball/200 ... ig%20South

Warren Nolan (whose site has RPI standings for several sports and other stats) just put up the softball RPIs today (though it looks like some of the info is a little incomplete...ie. conference records), and the Big South is having a good year in the RPI too...

The site says that the Big South is the 13th ranked conference...

As for the teams (out of 277 total teams)...

LU - 45
WU - 70
RU - 94
BSC - 126
CCU - 148
CSU - 247

[Cider Jim]

Thanks, EagleFan, but where's VMI?

[WinthropEagleFan]

Thanks, EagleFan, but where's VMI?

The same place as UNCA and HPU...without a team.

[Fumblerooskies]

UNCA dropped their team (after leading the nation in stolen bases) following the 92 season...and added women's soccer the following fall. At the time, NC was still a slowpitch state, so it was nearly impossible to get in-state players that could compete.

[SuperJon]

They could start it up in a hurry now. Western started their program and won the SoCon in the first year.

[ATrain]

Wonder if we'll get anymore votes after dropping a game to JMU and Winthrop?

[PAmedic]

JMU - no idea.

WU shouldn't hurt, seeing as we won 2 of 3 at THEIR house.

thats tough in conf no matter WHO you're playing.