LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite splitting a doubleheader at Kansas, Oklahoma (44-4) held on to its No. 1 spot in the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball poll for the ninth straight week after receiving 29 of 31 possible first-place votes.

The Sooners currently maintain a healthy, 41-point advantage over No. 2 Florida (49-7). The Southeastern Conference regular-season champion Gators did manage to pick up a pair of first-place votes in this week’s rankings, however, after winning two-of-three contests during a road series at South Carolina (5-0, 3-2 in 8 inn., 1-2). 

Oregon (45-7), the Pacific-12 Conference titlists, rose from fifth into the third position following a perfect 5-0 week that saw the Ducks nab both ends of a doubleheader from Seattle (4-0, 6-4) and sweep a series from in-state foe Oregon State (2-1, 11-0 in 5 inn., 8-0 in 5 inn.). Tennessee (43-9) held steady at No. 4, despite dropping two-of three match-ups at then-No. 11 Missouri, while Arizona State (43-9) lost a pair of contests during a three-game set at archrival Arizona to fall from third to fifth.

Big Ten Conference champion Michigan (44-9) made the largest jump in this week’s top 10, skyrocketing four positions from 10th to sixth after sweeping past Northwestern (2-1, 16-1 in 5 inn., 9-3). Texas (43-8) fell one slot to No. 7 after losing the first two games of its series at Oklahoma State (0-1 in 9 inn., 1-2) before rebounding to post a 7-2 win in the finale. Missouri (33-10) climbed two spots to eighth on the strength of its effort against the Lady Vols, while SEC Western Division rivals Alabama (41-12) and LSU (40-13) each suffered league series defeats to drop a pair of spots and hold down ninth and 10th, respectively.

Wisconsin (39-11) was bounced from this week’s poll following a series defeat at Michigan State, opening the door for Arkansas (34-17) to step into the Badgers’ former position at No. 25.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 31 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference.

To view the complete USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll, please click this link.