Softball Up to No. 24, Ranked for First Time Since 2009
March 17, 2015 | Softball
HAMMOND, La. – Coming off a Southeastern Conference series win, Mississippi State softball (20-6, 3-3 SEC) is ranked No. 24 in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA Division I Polls, both of which were announced Tuesday morning.
The Bulldogs were last ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll on April 21, 2008, tied for No. 23 and were last spotted in the USA Today/NFCA poll on March 3, 2009, where they checked in at No. 25.
State is 4-4 against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time of competition this season with wins over No. 8 Georgia, No. 23 Notre Dame and two over No. 19 Texas A&M.
The ranking marks the first time head coach Vann Stuedeman has seen her Bulldogs receive a top-25 rank after numerous appearances in the "others receiving votes" pool.
In the midst of her fourth season at the helm of State softball, Stuedeman has helped MSU to an NCAA Regional appearance in each of her first three seasons.
Sophomore ace Alexis Silkwood is tied for third in the nation in victories by a pitcher (15). Silkwood leads the Southeastern Conference in wins (15) and is tied for first in the SEC in batters struck out (121).
Before getting back to SEC play this weekend at Ole Miss, MSU will play Southeastern Louisiana tonight at 5 p.m. CT in Hammond, La. The Bulldogs are 17-3 this season in non-conference play.
For more information on the MSU softball program, follow "HailStateSB" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also find all-access coverage of the Bulldogs on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
