LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma ran through its opposition as it maintained a firm hold on No. 1 in this week’s 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Sooners (25-0), new-No. 3 UCLA and new-No. 5 Virginia Tech (21-3) were the only top 10 programs to come out of last week without a defeat.
Hosting the Hall of Fame Classic, OU picked five more run-rule victories, three via the shutout, outscoring Sam Houston State, Indiana, San Diego, Houston and Iowa 64-2. The Sooners have now run-ruled their opponents 21 times and recorded 15 shutouts.
Florida State (27-2) posted a 6-5 victory at then-No. 3 Alabama and finished the week 4-1, while the Crimson Tide (24-4) dipped to No. 4. Alabama went 3-2 on the week, which included an SEC-series win versus No. 8 Kentucky.
The Bruins (24-3) and Hokies (21-3) earned wins in their respective conference series. UCLA opened Pac-12 play with two shutout wins over then-No. 9 Arizona, while Virginia Tech swept North Carolina in ACC action.
Florida (25-3) fell to No. 6 going 3-1 in SEC play, earning the series win over Mississippi State on Monday, March 14, and took two-of-three from Texas A&M. Oklahoma State (21-6) elevated to No. 7 following a 5-1 week.
Kentucky (20-5) remained at No. 8 with Washington (20-7) dropping two spots to No. 9 and Arkansas (19-5) climbing to No. 10.
Northwestern, which picked up wins at then-No. 18 Missouri and new-No. 25 Stanford, finished 4-0 at the Mizzou Classic and jumped three spots to No. 11.
Returning to the rankings at No. 24 is Texas. The Longhorns (21-9-1) posted five top-25 wins, taking both games of a twinbill at then-No. 23 Louisiana and sweeping a three-game set against then-No. 20 LSU. Stanford (22-6) makes its first appearance in 2022 at No. 25.
The 2022 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 20.
2022 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
March 22 (Week 6)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2022 Record |
Prev. Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
25-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Florida State |
749 |
27-2 |
2 |
|
3 |
UCLA |
742 |
24-3 |
4 |
|
4 |
Alabama |
689 |
24-4 |
3 |
|
5 |
Virginia Tech |
677 |
21-3 |
6 |
|
6 |
Florida |
660 |
25-3 |
5 |
|
7 |
Oklahoma State |
525 |
21-6 |
10 |
|
8 |
Kentucky |
522 |
20-5 |
8 |
|
9 |
Washington |
504 |
20-7 |
7 |
|
10 |
Arkansas |
486 |
19-5 |
12 |
|
11 |
Northwestern |
477 |
19-4 |
14 |
|
12 |
Oregon |
462 |
21-4 |
11 |
|
13 |
Duke |
459 |
23-4 |
13 |
|
14 |
Arizona |
443 |
19-6 |
9 |
|
15 |
Tennessee |
340 |
20-8 |
15 |
|
16 |
Clemson |
304 |
19-8 |
17 |
|
17 |
Georgia |
288 |
26-4 |
16 |
|
18 |
Auburn |
255 |
25-2 |
19 |
|
19 |
Michigan |
221 |
17-6 |
21 |
|
20 |
Arizona State |
202 |
22-5 |
22 |
|
21 |
Missouri |
166 |
19-8 |
18 |
|
22 |
LSU |
104 |
20-10 |
20 |
|
23 |
UCF |
93 |
26-7 |
24 |
|
24 |
Texas |
88 |
21-9-1 |
RV |
|
25 |
Stanford |
50 |
22-6 |
RV |
New to Poll: No. 24 Texas, No. 25 Stanford
Dropped Out: No. 23 Louisiana, No. 25 USF
Receiving Votes: Louisiana (37), Notre Dame (31), USF (9), Ohio State (4), Boise State (3), Western Kentucky (3), Georgia Tech (2), Oregon State (2), USC Upstate (2), California 1.
The 2022 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 20, 2022.
