Complete Poll

DAHLONEGA, GA – For the third straight week, the North Georgia softball team tops the NFCA Division II Top 25 poll released this afternoon, making them the country’s unanimous No. 1 team in consecutive weeks.

The Saints, who battled their way to six impressive wins last week, stay unbeaten on the season at 23-0 overall and continue their quest toward a second straight Peach Belt Conference regular season title with an 8-0 mark in league action.

North Georgia picked up all 16 first place votes for 400 total points, followed by Angelo State who stays put at the No. 2 spot with 383 points. Winona State is up two spots to No. 3, followed by Hawaii Pacific at No. 4 and Wayne State rounding out the top five with a 16-3 mark.

The Saints are one of three unbeaten teams left in the nation as the No. 1 team at 23-0, followed by Winona State at 10-0 as the No. 3 team, and Augustana out of San Diego, California, rounds out the undefeated teams in the nation at 9-0 overall and ranked 22nd in the latest poll, their first appearance in the top 25 this season.

North Georgia’s schedule this weekend will get plenty of looks from around the country as the Saints will host a pair of top-10 teams. USC Aiken, a team that was ranked as high as No. 13 this season, will travel to Dahlonega for a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Pacers handed North Georgia their only Peach Belt Conference loss a year ago and started the season winners of nine of 11, but have lost six straight, including a pair to 20th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne.

After a day off, the Saints will welcome in-state rival and 10th-ranked Augusta State to town for an early showdown in what could decide the 2010 Peach Belt Conference regular season champion. The Jaguars are 22-6 overall on the season and match the Saints with an 8-0 mark in the league. ASU is up two spots in the latest poll to round out the top 10 and is only other PBC school in ranking. First pitch of a doubleheader against the Jaguars is slated for 2:00 p.m., immediately followed the dedication for Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium set to start at 1:45 p.m.

Following a grueling doubleheader on Saturday against No. 10 Augusta State, No. 9 Alabama-Huntsville will come to town for a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. in Dahlonega. The double dip is a rescheduled washout from earlier this season that at the time would have been the duel of the top two teams in the country. The rivalry will still have plenty of fire as the Chargers are back in stride after winning six straight games, all coming against top 20 teams in No. 17 LeMoyne, No. 3 Valdosta State, and No. 13 West Florida. UAH is currently 19-4 on the season and a perfect 4-0 in Gulf South Conference action.

The six home games over the weekend will kick-off North Georgia’s longest home stand of the season as the Saints will play 10 straight home games to put them on the back stretch of their schedule. Tickets to all 10 games can be purchased at the entrance to Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, while Saturday’s doubleheader against ASU will be free of charge due to the stadium dedication.