LOUISVILLE, Ky. – LSU and Alabama joined the top 10 in the latest week’s USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll of the 2024 season. Oklahoma, which ran its NCAA-record win streak to 62 games, remained atop the rankings for 45 of the last 47 polls.
The new additions to the top 10 went undefeated last week with No. 6 LSU going 3-0 at the weather-shortened Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational presented by EvoShield and No. 10 Alabama earning five wins. As part of the tournament’s loaded field, the Tigers (8-0), who elevated from No. 12, collected wins over then-No. 6 Oklahoma State, 7-6, then-No. 22 Northwestern, 13-12 and Georgia Tech, 12-8.
The Crimson Tide (10-0) opened their 2024 home season sweeping the competition at the Bama Bash with close wins over Virginia (3-1, 3-2) and Southern Indiana (2-0), along with triumphs over St. Thomas (7-3, 8-0).
The Sooners (9-0) won all five games at McNeese State’s Cowgirl Challenge, allowing just one run in victories over Central Arkansas (9-0, 8-0), the host Cowgirls (8-1, 3-0) and Lamar (8-0).
With seven top-10 and 11 total top-25 teams in Clearwater, there was movement up and down the rankings.
No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Washington moved up one spot apiece as Tennessee dipped to No. 5. The Longhorns (8-0) knocked off the Lady Vols (2-1) and then No. 9 Stanford (9-2), while the Bulldogs (9-0) were able to fit in four games with wins over Wisconsin (7-6 10 inn,), Oklahoma State (7-4), No. 19 UCLA (7-2) and then-No. 7 Florida State (20-10). The Huskies collected convincing wins over then-No. 18 Kentucky (8-1), Minnesota (12-4) and Wisconsin (9-1).
The previously-mentioned Lady Vols (4-2) and OSU Cowgirls (6-2) posted 0-2 and 1-2 marks at the Clearwater Invitaitonal. Following a mid-week win over Kennesaw State (14-0), UT dropped a pair of one-run games to Texas (1-2) and Stanford (0-1). No. 7 Oklahoma State defeated Wisconsin (9-5), but fell to Georgia and LSU.
Duke improved to No. 8 as the Blue Devils’ (8-1) trip to the Sunshine State witnessed four shutout wins as they thumped North Dakota State, 18-0, before a 4-0 outing at the FIU Invitational. Clemson fell one position to No. 8 after going 2-1 at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge, which was another weather-shortened tournament. The Tigers (6-2) topped RV Wichita State and UC San Diego, but were defeated by new-No. 25 Mississippi State.
Florida State and Stanford fell out of the top 10 to No. 12 and 13, while Utah and Oregon dropped seven and six spots to No. 20 and 23, respectively The Seminoles (5-3) blanked the Cardinal (4-0), but were defeated by UCLA (10-14) and Georgia (10-20) in two high-scoring affairs. Along with its two defeats, Stanford earned wins over Tennessee and Georgia Tech.
Four new programs enter the rankings this week – No. 18 Texas A&M (9-0), No. 21 California (10-1), No. 22 Arizona (10-1) and Mississippi State (8-1).
The 2024 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. Results are through Feb. 18. The poll is revealed each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. ET during the regular season.
2024 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
2/20/24 (Week 2)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
Record |
Previous Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
9-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Texas |
750 |
7-0 |
3 |
|
3 |
Georgia |
738 |
9-0 |
4 |
|
4 |
Washington |
679 |
6-1 |
5 |
|
5 |
Tennessee |
623 |
4-2 |
2 |
|
6 |
LSU |
585 |
8-0 |
12 |
|
7 |
Oklahoma State |
562 |
6-2 |
6 |
|
8 |
Duke |
557 |
8-1 |
10 |
|
9 |
Clemson |
496 |
6-2 |
8 |
|
10 |
Alabama |
494 |
10-0 |
11 |
|
11 |
Missouri |
474 |
10-0 |
14 |
|
12 |
Florida State |
459 |
5-3 |
7 |
|
13 |
Stanford |
447 |
5-4 |
9 |
|
14 |
Florida |
359 |
8-1 |
16 |
|
15 |
Arkansas |
353 |
8-2 |
15 |
|
16 |
Kentucky |
321 |
6-2 |
18 |
|
17 |
South Carolina |
242 |
8-1 |
20 |
|
18 |
Texas A&M |
234 |
9-0 |
RV |
|
19 |
UCLA |
168 |
3-4 |
19 |
|
20 |
Utah |
143 |
5-4 |
13 |
|
21 |
California |
123 |
10-1 |
RV |
|
22 |
Arizona |
120 |
10-1 |
RV |
|
23 |
Oregon |
119 |
6-5 |
17 |
|
24 |
Northwestern |
115 |
5-2 |
22 |
|
25 |
Mississippi State |
113 |
8-1 |
NR |
New to Poll: No. 18 Texas A&M, No. 21 California, No. 22 Arizona, No. 25 Mississippi State
Dropped Out: No. 21 Virginia Tech, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 24 Baylor, No. 25 Auburn
Receiving Votes: Auburn (102), Virginia Tech (88), Baylor (61), Louisiana (31), Boston University (22), San Diego State (9), Miami University (6), Penn State (3), Boise State (2), Grand Canyon (1), Indiana (1).
The 2024 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. Records reflect games played through Feb. 18. Poll is released on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. ET during the regular season.
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