The college softball season is officially underway, and that means the race to the 2020 NCAA Tournament is on with 64 sports up for grabs. From there, eight of college softball's best will earn postseason berths in the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The defending NCAA champion UCLA Bruins opened the regular season on fire, but a huge weekend by the Texas Longhorns in which they beat both No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Washington proves, once again, anything can happen in this game.
While we indulge ourselves in no-hitters and hidden ball tricks, the USA Today/NFCA Division 1 Top 25 poll offers college softball rankings throughout the 2020 season. It's one of four major polls — ESPN.com/USA Softball, USA Today/NFCA, Softball America and D1Softball.com — released weekly throughout the season.
The SEC leads everyone with a whopping nine teams in the current poll, followed by five from the Pac-12, four from the Big 12, and two from the Big Ten. The ACC has two, while the AAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt each boast one team.
Here is a look at where every team falls heading into the 2020 campaign.
NCAA Division I Softball Rankings
1. UCLA Bruins
2020 Record: 25-1
Last Week: 1
Lexi Sosa is your UCLA/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week!
Sosa threw @UCLASoftball's first perfect game in over a decade in their win against Boston U.
ℹ️: https://t.co/I1ihhiKeqD#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/mxdlLqFkBF
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) March 10, 2020
2. Washington Huskies
2020 Record: 23-2
Last Week: 2
We're home.
>>https://t.co/RS0GZesWse#MightyAreTheWomen x #GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/hU0zaFw5Nt
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) March 10, 2020
3. Texas Longhorns
2020 Record: 24-3
Last Week: 3
Miranda droppin' her magic, nbd.
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･ﾟ☆ ｡#OneTeamOneTexas | #HookEm pic.twitter.com/xzGYCEjpmX
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) March 8, 2020
4. Arizona Wildcats
2020 Record: 21-3
Last Week: 4
Still tippin' 😼
We're ranked fourth for the second straight week in the @NFCAorg Top 25!#BearDown || https://t.co/A8JxHV4Fd2 pic.twitter.com/zDPMpIT6t6
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) March 10, 2020
5. LSU Tigers
2020 Record: 20-3
Last Week: 5
We stay the same in the National Polls this week!
🔗: https://t.co/nQywL7Uuza#TakeTheLead pic.twitter.com/o18s2tl9PL
— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 10, 2020
6. Oklahoma Sooners
2020 Record: 20-4
Last Week: 6
𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬. #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/ZFp9303Avm
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) March 8, 2020
7. Florida Gators
2020 Record: 21-4
Last Week: 7
Hannah Adams with her first career multi-home run game!!#GoGators x #GatorsMarathonhttps://t.co/CUMNEk011C
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 10, 2020
8. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
2020 Record: 16-6
Last Week: 8
📊 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟱 Rankings Report
𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 remains steady inside the Top 10 of the national polls. 💪#GeauxCajuns ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/CNs5RTO2zS
— Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns® Softball (@RaginCajunsSB) March 10, 2020
9. Oregon Ducks
2020 Record: 21-2
Last Week: 11
Back into the top 10 as we head down to the Bay Area to play Saint Mary's before opening Pac-12 play. #GoDucks #Version2 pic.twitter.com/oeUHI2HglJ
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) March 10, 2020
10. Alabama Crimson Tide
2020 Record: 14-8
Last Week: 9
After a dominant weekend at the plate, KB Sides is the SEC Co-Player of the Week🏆
📰: https://t.co/T6BEnSq1rc#Team24 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/vdjvukQ01D
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) March 10, 2020
11. Kentucky Wildcats
2020 Record: 18-4
Last Week: 12
✅ Home Opener 🏠
✅ SEC Opener 🥎
✅ Youth Weekend 👶
✅ #1 offense in America 💪
✅ Kentucky Softball 😼
🎟https://t.co/BdCehZNz6T pic.twitter.com/8KlePjG8nA
— Kentucky Softball (@UKsoftball) March 4, 2020
12. Florida State Seminoles
2020 Record: 17-6
Last Week: 12
We've got a TOP 10 matchup tomorrow night down in enemy territory 👀
Get down to Gainesville and support your Noles‼‼‼
🎟 : https://t.co/4B3FOk6g3g#LiveTheMoment | #Team37 pic.twitter.com/OIuSpO0cDY
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) March 10, 2020
13. Oklahoma State Cowgirls
2020 Record: 18-5
Last Week: 14
A quick recap of how good @AlysenFebrey (and our pitchers) has been on this 1⃣1⃣ game winning streak: 🥎📈
Opponents: 13 Runs Scored 🙃
Febrey: 22 Runs Batted In 🙂#okstate #Pitching pic.twitter.com/10vZikxB76
— Cowgirl Softball (@CowgirlSB) March 10, 2020
14. Georgia Bulldogs
2020 Record: 22-5
Last Week: 13
Not a bad way to start off SEC play, @UGASoftball! pic.twitter.com/L1G75XEQGT
— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) March 9, 2020
15. Arizona State Sun Devils
2020 Record: 20-7
Last Week: 17
Fourth straight shutout 😈 #OnTheBoat pic.twitter.com/FdC9peuhVF
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 10, 2020
16. South Carolina Gamecocks
2020 Record: 15-6
Last Week: 15
FINAL: Dub in five. #OurSTATEment pic.twitter.com/ppDW1LTIdY
— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) March 10, 2020
17. Virginia Tech Hokies
2020 Record: 19-4
Last Week: 19
After her first career multi-homer game, @Graacechavez is our Player of the Game 👊#ThisIsHome | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/kWFnTUUvfN
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) March 10, 2020
18. Michigan Wolverines
2020 Record: 15-8
Last Week: 16
HOME SWEET HOME.
🎟 » https://t.co/1ntSIMdtWp pic.twitter.com/4WefG2AtB4
— Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) March 10, 2020
19. Minnesota Golden Gophers
2020 Record: 14-9-1
Last Week: 18
Waking up and sprinting to the beach... pic.twitter.com/lwxz10lJUt
— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) March 9, 2020
20. Arkansas Razorbacks
2020 Record: 17-6
Last Week: 20
Here we go for game two! First pitch coming up shortly at 5:35 p.m.!
📺 https://t.co/6P2SlZaKF9
📈 https://t.co/9l3SNfu3lJ#WPS🐗 pic.twitter.com/3GeT1iSaab
— Razorback Softball (@RazorbackSB) March 10, 2020
21. Mississippi State Bulldogs
2020 Record: 23-3
Last Week: 24
Last non-conference weekend ✅#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/nDwaPSgMhq
— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) March 10, 2020
22. UCF Knights
2020 Record: 19-5-1
Last Week: 22
Clocking at No. 7️⃣ in the first NCAA Softball RPI of the season 🙌 #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/0aAzZbomBz
— UCF Softball (@UCF_Softball) March 10, 2020
23. Missouri Tigers
2020 Record: 19-6
Last Week: 23
Home field advantage was in full effect 🧹🧹🧹#OwnIt 🐯🥎 pic.twitter.com/zyCV1j032G
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) March 10, 2020
24. Baylor Bears
2020 Record: 17-5
Last Week: 21
Here's the starting lineup for Game 1 of the day at Houston!#SicEm 🐻🥎 pic.twitter.com/93bRI0htGk
— Baylor Softball (@BaylorSoftball) March 10, 2020
25. Fresno State Bulldogs
2020 Record: 21-4
Last Week: 25
LET'S CALL IT A SWEEP🧹🧹🧹
Fresno State earns BOTH MW Player of the Week (@Mirmaid_9) and MW Pitcher of the Week (@haileydolcini)‼️🏆🐾
🗞️: https://t.co/hzsk09snLd#GoDogs | #PrideOfTheValley pic.twitter.com/Db4hDuijkP
— Fresno State Softball (@FresnoStateSB) March 10, 2020
Others Receiving Votes:
Stanford (36), North Texas (23), San Jose State (23), Utah (23), Duke (21), Texas Tech (14), Houston (12), Wisconsin (8), Clemson (6), Cal State Fullerton (5), James Madison (5), North Carolina State (1).
Rankings from USA Today/NFCA Coaches are current as of March 8, 2020.
Read more College Softball coverage here.
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