GCU cracks top-25 rankings

Grand Canyon's elite play for the season's first three weeks has been recognized with the stature of entering each of the nation's major top-25 rankings.

GCU cracked the national rankings after moving its record to 16-0, making it one of five undefeated teams in the nation with Florida (19-0), Texas Tech (16-0), North Carolina (14-0), Tennessee (14-0) and Alabama (13-0).

The Lopes' national rankings include:

No. 25, ESPN/USA Softball
No. 23, D1Softball.com
No. 23, Softball America
No. 22, National Fastpitch Coaches Association

The previous best start to a season by a Mountain West program was 10-0, but GCU blew past that with a six-win Purple Classic in which the Lopes outscored opponents 46-7 from Thursday to Sunday.

That gave the GCU pitching staff the third-best ERA (1.10) and the second-best strikeout-to-walk ration (6.47 to 1) in the nation.

The Lopes have achieved all of this after a season-ending knee injury to second baseman Savannah Kirk, who ranked second nationally last season in batting average (.505) and stolen bases (50).

In his fifth season at GCU, head coach Shanon Hays' next win will be No. 200 with the program. The Lopes' 199-50 record for Hays' tenure ranks as the fifth-best winning percentage (.799) in the nation since 2022.

GCU will play Minnesota at 7 p.m. Thursday at GCU Softball Stadium for the first of six home games through Sunday. The GCU/ASU Classic schedule is highlighted by the Lopes' 6:30 p.m. Friday matchup against Wisconsin (11-3).

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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Savannah Kirk

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