Jan. 20, 2009
Columbia, Mo. – The University of Missouri softball team will open its 35th season Saturday, Feb. 14, with a No. 16 ranking as released today in the annual USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I Top-25 preseason poll. The preseason ranking is Missouri's highest in over 10 years and marks the third straight year that the Tigers have opened the season ranked among the top-25 programs in the nation. The University of Florida was awarded the No. 1 spot in the poll and received 14 first place votes. Arizona State and Alabama round out the top three.
Missouri is one of three Big 12 programs ranked among the top-25 in the nation. Texas A&M received the highest ranking of the league at fifth, while Oklahoma stands at No. 10.
The Tigers are set to take on a minimum of seven teams that are currently ranked among the top-25 in addition to four squads that are receiving votes.
Last season, Missouri opened its campaign ranked 21st in the nation and wrapped up the year at No. 16 in the polls. Over the past 10 seasons, the Tigers have opened the season ranked on four occasions, the previous high coming in 2006 when Missouri stood at No. 18.
|
RANK |
TEAM |
'08 Record |
TOTALS |
Last Poll |
|
1 |
Florida (14) |
70-5 |
728 |
3 |
|
2 |
Arizona State (15) |
66-5 |
691 |
1 |
|
3 |
Alabama |
58-8 |
678 |
4 |
|
4 |
UCLA |
51-9 |
638 |
5 |
|
5 |
Texas A&M |
57-10 |
553 |
2 |
|
6 |
Louisiana (1) |
52-15 |
544 |
6 |
|
7 |
Arizona |
41-19 |
542 |
7 |
|
8 |
Michigan |
52-8 |
527 |
9 |
|
9 |
Northwestern |
40-16 |
511 |
12 |
|
10 |
Oklahoma |
47-14 |
498 |
10 |
|
11 |
Stanford |
49-15 |
456 |
11 |
|
12 |
Tennessee |
50-16 |
302 |
14 |
|
13 |
Houston |
54-11 |
285 |
13 |
|
14 |
Fresno State |
54-13 |
280 |
15 |
|
15 |
DePaul |
51-18 |
279 |
22 |
|
16 |
Missouri |
47-17 |
270 |
19 |
|
17 |
California |
34-32 |
255 |
16 |
|
18 |
North Carolina |
50-12-1 |
222 |
20 |
|
19 |
LSU |
44-18 |
210 |
18 |
|
20 |
Virginia Tech |
49-19 |
201 |
8 |
|
21 |
Washington |
30-25-1 |
193 |
RV |
|
22 |
Georgia |
46-24 |
169 |
17 |
|
23 |
Nevada |
44-18 |
157 |
21 |
|
24 |
Long Beach State |
40-17 |
108 |
23 |
|
25 |
San Diego State |
44-17 |
99 |
24 |
Others Receiving Votes:
UMass 68, Mississippi State 46, Iowa 43, South Florida 42, Hofstra 27, Oklahoma State 19, BYU 17, Hawai'i 15, Notre Dame 12, Nebraska 8, Purdue 8, Central Florida 8, Creighton 6, Auburn 6, Oregon 4, Oregon State 4, Jacksonville State 4, East Carolina 4, Louisiana Tech 3, Texas 2, UT-Chattanooga 2. Six schools received one point apiece.