LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite suffering its first defeat of the season, Oklahoma remained No. 1, while the lone undefeated Top 25 team LSU, leaped to No. 3 in this week’s USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Sooners (18-1), who had their NCAA-record 71-game winning streak snapped over the weekend, collected 24 first-place votes and 790 points. The Tigers (19-0)  received two first-place votes and 718 points.

OU, which debuted at its brand-new stadium, opened with four wins, including a thrilling 9-7 triumph over RV Miami in the first game at Love’s Field. After the RedHawks hit three seventh-inning homers to tie the game, Kenzie Hanson walked it off for the Sooners with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. OU followed with three run-rule wins over Liberty (8-0, 15-3) and RV Louisiana (8-0) before the Ragin’ Cajuns bounced back and ended the streak with a 7-5 win.

Texas remained at No. 2 and received six first-place votes. The Longhorns (18-1) extended their win streak to seven games with five wins, four via shutout. After a 1-0 road win at RV Texas State, Texas outscored its opposition 44-2 in four games at the Longhorn Invitational.

LSU added six more home wins last week, five of which were by two or one run. Hosting the Purple & Gold Challenge, the Tigers knocked off RV San Diego State (9-1, 3-1) and McNeese (2-1, 2-1) twice, along with Illinois (3-2) and Louisiana Tech (2-0).

Oklahoma State, Washington and Duke make up the next three spots, going a combined 11-0. The Cowgirls (17-2) and Huskies (16-2) each won four games at home, while the Blue Devils (16-1)  opened up Atlantic Coast Conference play with a three-game road sweep of Syracuse. 

Georgia dipped to No. 7 after a 3-2 week. The Bulldogs (15-3) opened with a 2-1 eight-inning win over then-No. 8 Clemson before heading out to Stanford for the DeMarini Invitational. UGA split a pair of contests against new-No. 15 California, topped Boise State and fell to the host and new No. 9 Cardinal. 

No. 8 Tennessee and Stanford won four and three home games respectively, while Clemson dropped to No. 10 after going 2-2 last week, which included a 2-1 ACC series win over NC State.

No. 11 Alabama was the other undefeated program that dropped its first game of the 2024 campaign, as it was shutout at home by South Alabama, 2-0.  The Crimson Tide (19-1) did win their other three contests over the weekend, including 2-1 and 1-0 triumphs over then-No. 19 Arizona. 

With five wins last week Auburn (12-2-1) is back in rankings at No. 25 with Oregon (9-7) falling out.

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 March 3. 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

3/5/24 (Week 4)

New to Poll: No. 25 Auburn

Dropped Out: No. 25 Oregon

Receiving Votes: Oregon (25), Boston University (24), Miami (16), Louisiana (15), Northwestern (11), Penn State (9), Utah (9).

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 March 3. Poll is released on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. ET during the regular season.

2024 NFCA DI Top 25 Committee

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