MARSHALL, Texas – Finishing the season as NCAA Division III Softball National Champions, East Texas Baptist University is the no. 1 team for the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Poll. It is the third time in program history that ETBU has finished as the no. 1 team in the nation. ETBU finished at 48-3 and had a 23-game winning streak during the season which both are program bests. ETBU has now been ranked by the NFCA for 145 straight weeks.
 
ETBU was no. 1 in the nation in 2010 and 2020. After winning the national championship in 2010, ETBU earned the top spot. The 2020 season brought an early ending due to COVID-19 and the NFCA voted ETBU as the no. 1 team in the nation with a 15-0 record.
 
It was a post-season to remember for ETBU becoming the first modern-day program to host and win the national championship on their home field. They went 10-1 in the NCAA Tournament at Bell Park at Taylor Field hosting the Regionals, Super Regionals, and National Tournament. Overall, ETBU went 28-1 at home with another perfect regular season at 14-0.
 
Below is the NFCA Release on ETBU:

 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — East Texas Baptist finishes the season as the top team in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll after capturing its second national championship in school history last Wednesday.
 
The (48-3) Tigers defeated Belhaven twice to close the best-of-three NCAA Division III championship series after the (47-10) Blazers had dealt East Texas Baptist its first loss all season on its home field, 4-3, the previous day in the opening game of the matchup. It was also the first loss suffered anywhere by the Tigers in two months, snapping a 23-game win streak.
 
This was the second national championship for East Texas Baptist, which also won the 2010 Division III crown in head coach Janae Shirley's third season.