DAHLONEGA — Three weeks removed from their Peach Belt Conference championship win, the North Georgia College & State University softball program once again received all 16 first-place votes to be named the No. 1 team in the nation, according to the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 poll released on Wednesday.

The Saints (45-0), who capped their undefeated season with the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship three week ago, were idle last week and will remain that way until the start of the NCAA Regionals on May 14-16 at a location yet to be determined by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The Saints, ranked No. 1 in every regular season poll this year, will look to advance to their second straight Super Regional round and Division II College World Series.

This week’s top five looks almost identical the same as last week’s, with all five teams staying put, but the final two tying for the fourth spot.

Fresh off their Gulf South championship, Valdosta State (42-6) came in at second, followed by Midwestern State (48-6) at third.  Metro State (40-3) overcame last week’s 26-point deficit to tie Hawaii Pacific (41-6) for fourth.

No. 20 Quincy (35-13) and No. 25 Francis Marion (34-14) each fell out of the rankings this week after just one week each in the poll.  Joining the fray this week was No. 21 Indianapolis (34-13), who makes its first Top 25 appearance this season since being ranked fifth in the preseason poll.  Also new to the poll this week was Ashland (33-11), marking the first time this season the Eagles have been ranked.

The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records as of May 2 are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.