AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State softball team made history on Tuesday when it was ranked No. 25 in the USA Today / NFCA DI Coaches’ Poll. It’s a milestone for Jamie Pinkerton‘s squad, marking the first-ever appearance in the NFCA’s top-25 in program history.

The Cyclones are coming off a 4-1 weekend at the FAU Strikeout Cancer Tournament, improving to 9-1 overall on the season. Iowa State’s 4-1 mark in Boca Raton included a 9-8 upset over No. 21 Missouri, as well as a pair of wins vs. Ole Miss to book-end the weekend.

Iowa State’s 2021 squad is in nearly unchartered territory, matching the best 10-game start to a season in program history. The Cyclones’ victory over Missouri marked the school’s first-ever team to reach 8-0 to open a season.

The Cyclones return to action this weekend for the GCU Purple Classic in Phoenix, Arizona. No. 25 Iowa State will face Portland State on Friday at noon CT at GCU Softball Stadium.