LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the first time in program history, Oregon (34-5) has ascended to the No. 1 spot in the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball rankings.

The Ducks received 30 of 32 possible first-place votes following their impressive statement last weekend in Eugene, Ore., where they took two of three games from then top-ranked UCLA (34-4) in a high-profile Pacific-12 Conference series. UO opened the trio of match-ups by securing 9-7 and 12-4 (5 inn.) triumphs before the now No. 2 Bruins (retained two first-place nods) rebounded to nab the final game by a 6-1 count.

A mid-week shutout of then-No. 11 South Alabama and a sweep of Southeastern Conference foe Arkansas improved Alabama’s (35-5) winning streak to a season-high-tying nine games as the Crimson Tide improved a single position to third. Tennessee (32-5) dropped two slots to No. 4 after losing two of its three match-ups at unranked LSU, while a rout of Detroit and a Big Ten Conference home sweep of Ohio State allowed Michigan (29-6) to hold steady at No. 5.

Positions six through 10 in this week’s rankings remained largely unchanged as Florida (34-8), Arizona State (35-6) and Florida State (38-4) stayed in positions No. 6 through No. 8, respectively. A flip-flop of spots involving now ninth-rated Arizona (32-8) and 10th-ranked Washington (22-10) marked the lone alteration in the bottom half of the top 10. 

With Stanford’s (24-14) exit from the poll, No. 24 USC Upstate (36-4) successfully re-entered the rankings for the first time since spending a single week among the top 25 over March 4-10.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 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.