LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Augustana softball team earned a final ranking of No. 3 in the NFCA Top-25 poll announced Wednesday. With the ranking, the Vikings spent the entire season ranked in the No. 1, 2 or 3 spots in the poll.
 
Augustana concluded its season with a 49-8 overall record while winning the NSIC Championship and the NCAA Division II Central Region Championship. The 49 wins were the most in NCAA Division II in 2021.
 
In addition, Augustana owned the nation's best four NFCA All-Americans, four All-Americans chosen by D2CCA and five NFCA All-Region honorees. The All-Americans were Kendall Cornick, Ashley Mickschl, Mary Pardo and Torri Chute. The all-region honoree was Abbie Lund.
 
Cornick, a consensus First Team All-America selection, earned the NSIC Player of the Year and was a top-15 finalist for the National Player of the Year. Mickschl earned her third career All-America accolade while Chute was the NSIC Freshman of the Year and a finalist for the National Freshman of the Year.
 
Head coach Gretta Melsted and her staff were named the Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year while Melsted was the NSIC Coach of the Year.
 
Augustana competed against nine of the 25 teams represented in the final NFCA Top-25 poll, while holding a 15-5 record against ranked foes.
 
Augustana competed at the NCAA Division II Championship site for the sixth time in program history and third time under Melsted.