LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite suffering its first defeat of the season, Colorado Mesa enters its seventh consecutive week as the No. 1 team in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Mavericks (37-1) had their program-record 37-game winning streak snapped in the final game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series finale against Regis.

CMU received 13 first-place votes and 397 votes. The Mavericks took the first three games against the Rangers (7-1, 10-2, 4-1) before being held to their lowest run total of the season in a 4-1 defeat.

No. 2 North Georgia and No. 3 Chico State continued their winning ways with 4-0 weeks. The NightHawks (47-2) swept a non-conference doubleheader from then-RV University of Alabama in Huntsville (6-1, 2-1) and a Peach Belt twinbill at Georgia Southwestern (7-0, 13-5). They received three first-place votes (387) and have won 24 of their last 25 contests. The Wildcats (39-3), winners of 14 straight, came off a bye week and took all four California Collegiate Athletic Association games from then-No. 18 Sonoma State.

Southern Arkansas (38-4) moved up one position to No. 4 collecting six Great American Conference victories, including a four-game series sweep of then-RV Harding. In at No. 5 is North Alabama. The Lions (35-4), who have won 12 straight, had a light week due to weather, defeating Christian Brothers, 12-0.

Angelo State and Lenoir-Rhyne move into the No. 6 and No. 7 spots. The Rambelles (36-6) and Bears (40-5) enjoyed undefeated weeks in league play. ASU swept UT Permian Basin, while Lenoir-Rhyne triumphed in doubleheader sweeps of then-No. 23 Queens (N.C.) and Carson-Newman. The Bears have won 14 in-a-row and 30-of-their last 31.

Palm Beach Atlantic and Winona State tied for eighth. The Sailfish (28-5) fell four spots after dropping two-of-three against Tampa. The Warriors (31-5) went 3-1, which included two wins over then-RV Minnesota State.

Also joining the top-10 is Grand Valley State. The Lakers (29-5) currently own Division II’s longest active winning streak at 21 games after picking up six more victories last week.

New to the poll this week is No. 24 West Chester and No. 25 Georgia College. The Rams (28-9) have brushed off a slow start to win eight straight and 14 of their last 15 contests. The Bobcats (31-11) enter at No. 25. No. 18 Sonoma State and No. 23 Queens (N.C.) dropped out.

The 2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records reflect games played through April 15, 2018.

 

2018 NFCA Division II
Top 25 Coaches Poll – April 18 (Week 9)

Rank

Team

Points

Record

Previous

1

Colorado Mesa (13)

397

37-1

1

2

North Georgia (3)

387

47-2

2

3

Chico State

367

39-3

3

4

Southern Arkansas

350

38-4

5

5

North Alabama

334

35-4

8

6

Angelo State

311

36-6

9

7

Lenoir-Rhyne

287

40-5

11

8

Palm Beach Atlantic

267

28-5

4

8

Winona State

267

31-5

10

10

Grand Valley State

253

29-5

12

11

West Texas A&M

247

34-6

13

12

California Baptist

235

30-7

14

13

Dixie State

207

34-6

6

14

Texas A&M Commerce

200

35-5

7

15

West Florida

151

24-13

17

16

Augustana

145

26-8

21

17

Tarleton State

138

38-8

16

18

Illinois Springfield

132

30-11

25

19

Saint Leo

100

31-10

20

20

Indianapolis

89

31-11

15

21

Arkansas Tech

68

32-12

19

22

UC San Diego

64

25-12

24

23

UAH

54

28-12

22

24

West Chester

35

28-9

RV

25

Georgia College

30

31-11

 

 

New to Poll: No. 24 West Chester, No. 25 Georgia College

Dropped Out: No. 18 Sonoma State, No. 23 Queens (N.C.)

Receiving Votes: Merrimack (23), Sonoma State (14), Valdosta State (11), Embry-Riddle (9), Washburn (8), Colorado Christian (5), West Virginia Wesleyan (4), Concordia Irvine (3), St. Anselm (2), Minnesota Duluth (1).

The 2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regionals. Records reflect games played through April 15, 2018.

TORONTO — Shoppers Drug Mart has been granted a licence to sell medical marijuana online.

Health Canada’s list of authorized cannabis sellers and producers has been updated to reflect that the pharmacy can sell dried and fresh cannabis, as well as plants, seeds and oil.

A website has been set up by the company, which says that patients “with a valid medical document will soon be able to purchase a wide selection of medical cannabis products” from Shoppers.

A spokeswoman for Shoppers’ parent company Loblaw Companies Ltd. says it’s too soon to say when people will be able to start making orders.

Granted producer license already

She says the company is still working through a “technical issue” with Health Canada.

The company was granted a medical marijuana producer licence in September, after initially applying in October 2016.

Shoppers has said that it has no interest in producing medical cannabis, but the licence is required in order to sell the product to patients.

Under the current Health Canada regulations for medical pot, the only legal distribution method is by mail order from licensed producers direct to patients.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Undefeated Colorado Mesa continued as the No. 1 program in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Mavericks (22-0) increased their hold on the top spot, gathering 12 first-place votes and 394 points.

CMU hit the road and swept a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series from New Mexico Highlands. The Mavericks offense exploded for 56 runs, including 23-0 and 14-0 victories over the Cowgirls.

The next five spots remained the same. North Georgia had a light week, sweeping Lee in a non-conference doubleheader at home, while No. 3 Dixie State was idle as it packed for its PacWest Conference trip to Hawai’i. Both programs received two first-place votes.

No. 4 Angelo State enjoyed a 5-0 week, extending its winning streak to 23 games. The Rambelles (24-1) run-ruled RV Central Oklahoma twice in a home doubleheader and earned a Lone Star Conference sweep of Eastern New Mexico. The fifth-ranked Chico State Wildcats (23-2) went 5-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. They split on the road with Stanislaus State and swept a four-game series from Cal State Monterey Bay.

No. 6 North Alabama continued to roll as it took care of Miles before taking all three Gulf South Conference contests from Shorter. The victories extended their winning streak to 18 games.

Central Region foes Winona State and Southern Arkansas flip-flopped the No. 7 and 8 spots. The Warriors (17-2) capped off their spring break trip in Florida with six wins, including a win over new-No. 23 Grand Valley State, to run their winning streak to 14 games. The Lady Muleriders (19-3) went 3-1 on the road in Great American Conference play, dropping the final game of a four-game set at Southern Nazarene.

Rounding out the top 10 in No. 9 Saint Leo and No. 10 Minnesota State, who also switch positions. The Lions (20-7) finished the week 7-1, while the Mavericks (16-3) went 5-1 at the Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., including a 5-1 triumph over then-No. 13 Southern Indiana.

Making their first appearance in the top-25 are No. 20 Southern New Hampshire (10-0), No. 23 Grand Valley State (13-5) and No. 25 California Baptist (16-3).

The 2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records reflect games played through March 11, 2018.

  

2018 NFCA Division II
Top 25 Coaches Poll – March 14 (Week 4)

Rank

Team

Points

Record

Previous

1

Colorado Mesa (12)

394

22-0

1

2

North Georgia (2)

385

26-1

2

3

Dixie State (2)

373

18-0

3

4

Angelo State

350

24-1

4

5

Chico State

329

23-2

5

6

North Alabama

325

20-2

6

7

Winona State

303

17-2

8

8

Southern Arkansas

280

19-3

7

9

Saint Leo

235

20-7

10

10

Minnesota State

231

16-3

9

11

Texas A&M Commerce

220

17-3

11

12

Lenoir-Rhyne

214

19-4

12

13

Palm Beach Atlantic

198

16-2

13

14

Sonoma State

178

17-7

15

15

West Texas A&M

173

19-3

15

16

Indianapolis

168

14-4

20

17

Concordia Irvine

131

14-5

19

18

Harding

111

14-4

17

19

Queens

88

23-3

22

20

Southern New Hampshire

87

10-0

 

21

West Florida

80

14-8

24

22

UC San Diego

69

19-4

25

23

Grand Valley State

66

13-5

 

24

Merrimack

53

11-1

22

25

California Baptist

37

16-3

RV

New to Poll: No. 20 Southern New Hampshire, No. 23 Grand Valley State, No. 25 California Baptist

Dropped Out: No. 14 Southern Indiana (12-9), No. 18 Valdosta State (17-7), No. 21 Cameron (16-7)

Receiving Votes: Valdosta State (22), Tarleton State (22), Southern Indiana (19), UVA Wise (17), Coker (17), Central Oklahoma (15), Cameron (3), Shepherd (2), Le Moyne (2), UAH (2), Minnesota Duluth (1)

The 2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regionals. Records reflect games played through March 11, 2018.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The NFCA is pleased to announce Blast Motion as its newest official partner. Blast Motion, the complete hitting solution for players, coaches and teams, has agreed to a two-year contract and will sponsor the NFCA Coaches Clinics’ lanyards.

“The NFCA is excited to welcome Blast Motion as an NFCA Partner,” said NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. “The use of technology in softball has grown tremendously over the past few years and Blast Motion provides user-friendly information that enhances both the student-athlete and coaching experience.  Blast Motion is a first-class, innovative company and we appreciate their involvement with our Coaches Clinics across the country.”

Blast Motion is a wearable technology and sports analysis app that improves your game with real-time motion analysis, video capture and coaching. Used by several NPF teams, players and coaches, it is the industries’ most accurate motion capture sensor integrated with analysis, coaching, communication and management tools.

“For the past year, we have taken steps to work with some of the biggest names in the industry to develop the best softball product in the market,” said Jeff Fallis, Vice President of Sales at Blast Motion. “The NFCA’s commitment to excellence, innovation and the sharing of information aligns well with that mission. We look forward to being a part of the growth plan by providing coaches, players and teams with advanced tools and insights for improvement within the Blast Motion Solution.”

The NFCA will host seven two-day clinics in January 2018, which were preceded by a clinic on Dec. 2, 2017. Below are the remaining locations and dates:

Louisville (Jan. 5-6, 2018) | Chicago (Jan. 5-6, 2018) | Portland, Ore. (Jan. 12-13, 2018) | Charlotte (Jan. 12-13, 2018) | Minneapolis (Jan. 19-20, 2018) | Nashville (Jan. 19-20, 2018) | Kansas City (Jan. 26-27, 2018)

More than half of Canadians want the right to request search engines remove what they believe to be harmful, personal information from search results, says a new poll.

Coined “the right to be forgotten,” it’s a practice that’s already in place in the European Union, and will be seriously considered by Canadian lawmakers, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the federal court this year.

But an expert warns giving companies like Google the power to decide what data should stay in search results and what should be harder to find is a dangerous road to go down, even if people’s reputations are on the line.

“You’re giving a lot of power to a search engine to determine and decide what information is in public interest,” lawyer and privacy expert Eloïse Gratton told HuffPost Canada. “I think people perhaps don’t understand the implications of this right.”

WATCH: Google fights right to be forgotten

The research foundation Angus Reid Institute found 51 per cent of Canadians believe people should have the right to be forgotten, and search engine results changed so that “negative information doesn’t dominate their online record forever,” according to the poll results released earlier this week.

Twenty-six per cent of Canadians believe Internet searches are a form of public record and results shouldn’t be erased, and twenty-three per cent said they weren’t sure or couldn’t say, the poll found.

Right now, Canadians don’t have a way to request search engines like Google de-index specific, potentially harmful search results, making specific web pages and information more difficult to find. Google said it wants to keep it that way.

“Removing lawful information from a search engine limits access to media properties, past decisions by public figures and information about many other topics,” said Peter Fleischer, Google’s Global Privacy Counsel in an email statement. “Freedom of expression is a broadly recognized — and passionately defended — right in Canada and we believe that every Canadian has the right to access lawful information.”

After public consultations, however, Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien determined under Canada’s existing privacy law, Canadians should have the right to be forgotten.

“We approached this work with one key goal in mind: helping to create an environment where individuals may use the Internet to explore their interests and develop as persons without fear that their digital trace will lead to unfair treatment,” Therrien wrote in a report to parliament last September.

Therrien has requested the federal court determine if Canadians have the right to be forgotten, and the case will move ahead in the coming months, said the privacy commissioner’s office.

A complaint Therrien’s office received is included in the court application. An unnamed man alleged Google will not de-index links to online news articles that appear when his name is searched even though the articles are outdated, inaccurate and reveal his sexual orientation and serious medical condition, according to the application.

“The fact that Google prominently links these articles to his name in search results has caused, and continues to cause him, direct harm,” said the application.

Ultimately, parliament will decide if it will clarify or change its privacy law to include the right to be forgotten, and so far it’s supported by MPs from the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics committee, which made the recommendation in its report from February.

It also recommended Canada consider including in its privacy act the right for Canadians, especially young people, to have personal information posted online erased.

“Our committee expressly focused on minors,” said Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, a vice chair on the committee. “We post online and do stupid things when we’re kids. Intuitively it makes sense the right to be forgotten should exist right away for minors.”

He emphasized the information that qualified to be erased or de-indexed would have to be untrue, or embarrassing and not in the public interest.

Committee chair Bob Zimmer, a Conservative MP, said Canada needs to start thinking of data as “digital DNA” and sacrosanct. That approach encompasses the right to be forgotten — if Canadians want a webpage about them to be more difficult find because it includes false or personal information, for example, they should be allowed to make that request, he said.

“Our data is our soul online, so we should be able to affect it. We should own our information,” Zimmer said. “You don’t let people take your DNA. You shouldn’t let people take your data.”

Following a court ruling in 2014 that found search engines must allow for people to request information be de-indexed if it is inadequate, irrelevant, or excessive, Google set up an online application process.

Since then, Google has received close to three million requests to de-list URLs, and done so 44 per cent of the time, it reported. People have wanted urls to be removed from search results because they contain personal information or insufficient information, are related to a crime, or professional wrongdoing, or the link doesn’t actually contain their name, among other reasons.

If Canada decides it wants to put into place the right to be forgotten, it shouldn’t copy Europe’s approach, Gratton said. Instead of allowing Google to decide what should or shouldn’t be removed, the government needs to set up a separate body with judicial oversight to handle requests, or it could strengthen defamation and privacy laws to discourage harmful information from being published in the first place.

“Is this a public figure? Is this information relevant for researchers? Is it a one-sided request? Should this info de-indexed forever? We need to think about all these issues,” Gratton said.

The poll results come from an online survey of 1,500 Canadian adults conducted last November, and carry a margin of error +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by the Angus Reid Institute.

More from HuffPost:

The collegiate softball season is already a month old as March has snuck up on us. This weekend, NCAA Division III is highlighted by 27 top-25 matchups, all taking place at the NFCA’s Division III Leadoff Classic, March 2-4 in Tucson, Ariz. The loaded field features 2017 national champion Virginia Wesleyan, national runner-up St. John Fisher, national championship participants Trine, Illinois Wesleyan and St. Catherine, along with 16 more programs who earned berths to the NCAA Tournament

NFCA DIII Leadoff Classic Top-25 matchups

Tournament Central

All games MT

March 2

10 a.m.

20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh v. 22 George Fox (Field 2)

21 Central v. 6 Trine (Field 3)

T24 Babson v. 11 Christopher Newport (Field 4)

12:30 p.m

18 Messiah v. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Field 2)

11 Christopher Newport v. 21 Central (Field 3)

6 Trine v. T24 Babson (Field 4)

T24 Berry v. RV St. Thomas (Field 5)

3 p.m.

9 Texas Lutheran v. 2 St. John Fisher (Field 6)

5:30 p.m.

2 St. John Fisher v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 5)

17 Moravian v. 1 Virginia Wesleyan (Field 8)

March 3

10 a.m.

13 East Texas Baptist v. 1 Virginia Wesleyan (Field 8)

3 p.m.

T24 Babson v. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Field  2)

22 George Fox v. 18 Messiah (Field 4)

T24 Berry v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 5)

RV St. Thomas v. 9 Texas Lutheran (Field 6)

6 Trine v. 2 St. John Fisher (Field 8)

5:30 p.m.

21 Central v. T24 Babson (Field 1)

18 Messiah v. 6 Trine (Field 3)

11 Christopher Newport v. 22 George Fox (Field 4)

9 Texas Lutheran v. T24 Berry (Field 5)

March 4

9 a.m.

9 Texas Lutheran v. T24 Babson (Field 6)

11:30 a.m.

1 Virginia Wesleyan v. 9 Texas Lutheran (Field 8)

2 p.m.

13 East Texas Baptist v. 6 Trine (Field 1)

22 George Fox v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 3)

4:30 p.m.

11 Christopher Newport v. 13 East Texas Baptist (Field 2)

2 St. John Fisher v. 22 George Fox (Field 4)

20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh v. RV St. Thomas (Field 7)

 

NCAA DI

March 2

Noon (PT) – 25 Michigan v No. 8 Baylor (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

3 p.m. (ET) – 6 Oregon at 13 Florida State | Live Stats

3:45 p.m. (PT) – 11 Alabama at 1 Washington | Live Stats

7:35 p.m. (CT) – 23 McNeese State at 10 LSU | Live Stats

March 3

10 a.m. (PT) – 2 Florida v 8 Baylor (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

2 p.m. (PT) – 3 UCLA v 21 Minnesota (Sand Diego Classic I) | Live Stats

5 p.m. (PT) – 11 Alabama at 1 Washington | Live Stats

March 4

11:30 a.m. (ET) – 6 Oregon at 13 Florida State | Live Stats

2 p.m. (PT) – 8 Baylor v 18 Louisiana (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

 

NCAA DII

March 2

2 p.m. (CT) – 21 Texas A&M-Commerce at No. 18 Cameron (DH) | Live Stats

March 3

1 p.m. (CT) – 21 Texas A&M-Commerce at No. 18 Cameron | Live Stats

March 4

1 p.m. (ET) – 13 Southern Indiana v. 19 Winona State (Clermont, Fla.) | Watch ($)

 

NAIA

March 2

6:15 p.m. (CT) 8 William Carey v. 14 Reinhardt (Gulf Shores, Ala.) | Live Stats

March 3

1:30 p.m. (CT) – 2 Columbia v. 14 Reinhardt (Gulf Shores, Ala.) | Live Stats

2 p.m. (CT) – 1 Oklahoma City v. 13 Ottawa (Kan.) (Friends Tournament) | Live Stats

LAS VEGAS — Record-breaking attendee numbers and keynote speaker Jessica Mendoza highlighted the opening day of the 2017 NFCA Convention at Bally’s Las Vegas. With 1,685 attendees, it is the second straight year the association’s marquee event set a record, eclipsing last year’s 1,592 attendees.

Wednesday kicked off with three, three-hour pre-convention seminars, one more offering for the membership this year. Arkansas assistant coach Matt Meuchel crunched the numbers in “How Statistics & Metrics Can Help You Win More Games”, five highly successful veteran coaches imparted their wisdom in “Lessons in Leadership” and the third year of the Assistant Coaches University.

Following various committee meetings, the Triple Crown Sports “Rookie” Orientation, designed for first-time attendees and led by Nebraska’s Rhonda Revelle, Georgetown’s Pat Conlan, NFCA executive director Carol Bruggeman and Auburn’s Mickey Dean guided members through their first-ever convention.

Led by NFCA president Karen Weekly and the respective NFCA Board of Director Division reps, the membership groups from High School through NCAA Division I brought forth their issues going into their respective caucuses in the brand new Issues Forum.

After Weekly and Bruggeman greeted the jam-packed room during the “First-Pitch” Opening Welcome, a passionate Mendoza addressed those in attendance and urged them to grow the game for the better. They are the ones who can shape young ladies lives.

The evening concluded off with USSSA’s Leadoff Reception as attendees mingled over food, beverages and music.

Thursday will focus on business, coaching milestones, exhibitors, and the first two speaking sessions. Additionally, the always popular mentoring session and two sponsored social events in the Scrap Yard Sports Happy Hour and the Diamond/PGF Social off site at Margaritaville.

Start your Thursday with a bolt of energy during Jenn Williams’ (MIT) early morning Blackjack Bootcamp and grab some food at the Schutt Sports Continental Breakfast. At 8:30 a.m., the NFCA’s membership groups will discuss important topics and issues at their respective caucuses. Following the caucuses, celebrate coaching milestones, while enjoying a hearty meal at the Victory Club Luncheon.

Be sure to check out the sold out exhibit hall with 135 companies in attendance and then listen the NFCA Hall of Famer Mike Candrea lead off our speaker lineup, followed by our Division I Championship Series pitching coaches Melyssa Lombardi of Oklahoma and Florida’s Jennifer Rocha.

In the evening, the mentoring session is followed by the Fireside Chats, which will break into hitting and pitching conversations, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ “Coaching Today’s Athlete.”

Photo courtesy of Jade Hewett