Fresno State Athletics
Softball enters top 25, picks up national award
2/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
USA Today/NFCA | ESPN.com/USA Softball | NFCA National Player/Pitcher of the Week
FRESNO, Calif. An undefeated (5-0) opening-weekend record propelled the Fresno State softball team into the nation's top 25 as announced Tuesday morning. Head coach Trisha Ford led the Bulldogs back into the national rankings for the first time since 2011, checking into the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 at No. 22 and No. 24 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Coaches Poll.
"We had a fun weekend playing Bulldog softball," Ford said. "We did the things necessary to pull off some big wins and were recognized with some exciting accolades. There is a long way to go in the season, however I am excited about the start we made and look forward to many more battles on the field."
During what was a five-game weekend-long stretch, the `Dogs took down two ranked opponents including No. 8 Tennessee (7-3) and No. 23 Utah (2-0) with additional wins over Indiana (7-0), Seattle University (7-4) and Boston College (3-1). The last time Fresno State was off to a 5-0 start was in 2011 and this is the 14th 5-0 start in program history. The Bulldogs have won 40 or more games in nine of their first 13 seasons in program history when they started the season with five consecutive wins.
The No. 23 Bulldogs will host Kansas on Friday for the home-opening Fresno State Classic at Margie Wright Diamond starting at 4 p.m. Friday's action will continue against Sacramento State (6:30 p.m.) and the `Dogs will take on the Jayhawks for the second time on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The final day of the four-team tournament will round out with matchup against UC Riverside (11:30 a.m.) and the Hornets (2:00 p.m.). For a full schedule, visit the tournament central page at GoBulldog.com.
Player/Pitcher of the Week Honors
Tuesday's excitement continued with the announcement of several individual weekly accolades, with recognition from the Mountain West, NFCA and College Sports Madness.
Senior ace Jill Compton was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, earning her first career national weekly accolade. At the 2015 year's end, Compton was pegged as a first-team NFCA All-West Region recipient after earning second-team honors as a sophomore.
"To be nationally recognized is truly an honor after all of the hard work I've put in alongside my teammates," Compton said. "It feels amazing to start on such a great note, our goal this season was to be a top 25 program and achieving that today is extremely motivating as it increases our team morale and confidence."
In what was the first Mountain West Player/Pitcher of the Week announcement this season, junior transfer Lindsey Willmon and Compton swept the honors for the opening weekend. Willmon, a first-time MW honoree, finished the week batting .467 (7-for-15) with five RBIs, five runs scored, two doubles and two home runs in Fresno State's 5-0 weekend at the ASU Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
As the 2015 MW Pitcher of the Year, Compton continues adding to her highly decorated Bulldog career with her 10th conference pitcher of the week accolade. She appeared in four games last weekend, including three starts, and posted a 3-0 record along with a 0.33 ERA. During 21.0 innings pitched, Compton struck out 17 batters while allowing only one run and tossing her first complete shutout of the season against No. 23 Utah. She was also deemed the Madness Mountain West Softball Player of the Week by College Sports Madness for her exceptional performance in the circle last week.
"What a great honor for Jill, Lindsey and our program," Ford added. "Jill had a great weekend and that is what you look for in a senior pitcher, to come out on week one ready to go. She is our horse, we go as far as she goes and she embraces that role. This was Lindsey's first set of games in a Bulldog uniform and boy did she make it count. Having these two recognized by the Mountain West, NFCA and College Sports Madness is a huge honor."
Note Worthy
Fresno State is currently one of nine undefeated programs that are ranked in the top 25. The Bulldogs are also one of nine teams that opened the 2016 season unranked but defeated a ranked opponent, and the only Mountain West program to do so.
Similar to Fresno State, Washington and Kentucky were the only two additional Division I programs with multiple victories over ranked opponents during opening weekend -- the Huskies defeated then-ranked No. 14 Minnesota (7-2) and No. 9 Oklahoma (10-3), while Kentucky topped No. 6 Oregon (8-6), No. 22 Arizona State (5-3), No. 24 Notre Dame (10-7) and No. 23 Utah (1-0).
This is the first time the `Dogs have been ranked during Ford's four-year Bulldog tenure after receiving votes to be placed in the top 25 on six occasions during last year's 40-win season. Of the 15 total polls in 2014, Fresno State had the highest total of votes (15) during the 11th week and a second-best seven only three weeks in.
Since the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) began keeping a top 25 national poll in 1995, Fresno State has appeared in the rankings now 18 times in the 22 seasons the poll has been running.
About the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
New to the poll this week, No. 22 Fresno State is joined by No. 24 Texas (5-0) who also achieved a perfect weekend as hosts of the Texas Classic. Meanwhile, last week's No. 23 Utah (3-2) and No. 25 NC State (3-2) dropped out of the top 25 following two losses apiece.
The ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll is voted on by coaching representatives of 10 Division I Conferences in the 15 ASA/USA Softball Regions as well as members of the national and local media who consistently cover Division I Softball across the country.
About the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll
Making the biggest moves in this week's coaches poll were No. 11 Washington and No. 24 Fresno State. The Huskies (4-0) knocked off then-No. 9 Oklahoma (10-3) and then-No. 14 Minnesota (7-2) on their way to an undefeated opening weekend. An undefeated start, which included a 7-3 win over then-No. 8 Tennessee helped the Bulldogs (5-0) catapult into the top 25 after receiving three points in the preseason poll.
Joining Fresno State as a newcomer to the poll is No. 25 Texas A&M (4-1). Dropping out this week are then-No. 23 North Carolina State (3-2) and then-No. 24 Notre Dame (3-2).
The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records reflect games played through Feb. 14, 2016.
USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Coaches Poll (Feb. 16, 2016)
1. Florida (31) 4-0
2. Michigan 4-1
3. Auburn (1) 5-0
4. LSU 4-1
5. Alabama 4-1
6. Oregon 5-1
7. Louisiana Lafayette 5-0
8. UCLA 4-1
9. Arizona 6-0
10. Georgia 4-0
11. Washington 4-0
12. Tennessee 4-2
13. Florida State 4-1
14. Oklahoma 3-2
15. UCF 4-1
16. Missouri 0-0
17. Arizona State 6-0
18. Kentucky 3-1
19. James Madison 4-1
20. Minnesota 3-2
21. Baylor 2-1
22. California 3-1
23. South Alabama 5-0
24. Fresno State 5-0
25. Texas A&M 4-1
Receiving Votes: Texas (48), Notre Dame (33), Nebraska (13), Florida Atlantic (13), Mississippi State (10), North Carolina State (4), Long Beach State (3), North Dakota State (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon State (1).
Dropped out: No. 23 North Carolina State, No. 24 Notre Dame
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 (Feb. 16, 2016)
1. Florida (19) 4-0
2. Michigan 4-1
3. Auburn 5-0
4. LSU 4-1
5. Oregon 5-1
6. Alabama 4-1
7. UCLA 4-1
8. Louisiana-Lafayette 5-0
9. Washington (1) 4-0
T10. Arizona 6-0
T10. Oklahoma 3-2
12. Georgia 4-0
13. Missouri 0-0
14. Tennessee 4-2
15. Florida State 4-1
16. UCF 4-1
17. Arizona State 6-0
18. Minnesota 3-2
19. Kentucky 3-1
20. James Madison 4-1
21. Baylor 2-1
22. Fresno State 5-0
23. Texas A&M 4-1
24. Texas 5-0
25. California 3-1
New to Poll: Fresno State, Texas
Dropped Out: Utah (23), NC State (25)
Others receiving votes: South Alabama (12), Utah (12), Mississippi State (6), USC Upstate (5), NC State (4), Ohio State (4), Long Beach State (1), Texas State (1)
2016 MW Softball Player of the Week
Feb. 16 -- Lindsey Willmon, Jr., 1B, Fresno State
2016 MW Softball Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 16 -- Jill Compton, Sr., RHP, Fresno State
2016 Schedule Breakdown
• 2015 NCAA World Series Qualifiers (8 teams) -- Oregon, Tennessee
• 2015 NCAA Super Regional Qualifiers (16 teams) - Oklahoma
• 2015 NCAA Regional Tournament Qualifiers (64 teams) - Baylor, Utah, Kansas, Northwestern, Cal State Northridge, Cal, Weber State, Washington, BYU, San Diego State
• 2015 Non-Tournament Qualifiers -- Indiana, Seattle, Boston College, Sacramento State, UC Riverside, Loyola Marymount, Baylor, Wisconsin, Oregon State, CSU Bakersfield, Long Beach State, Ohio State, Princeton, San Diego, Cal State Fullerton, Boise State, New Mexico, Utah State, Colorado State, San Jose State, Nevada, UNLV, Pacific
"Be Bold!" - The official home of the Fresno State Softball is 790 AM ESPN2 The Deuce. For ticket information contact the Bulldog Ticket Office at 559-278-3647 or log on to www.gobulldogs.com.
