LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma survived a couple of close calls to remain undefeated and the unanimous No. 1 in this week’s 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Sooners (15-0), along with Alabama, Florida State and Florida are a combined 61-0.
OU posted a 5-0 mark at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, which included a pair of one-run victories over then-No. 17 Tennessee (9-8), courtesy of a Jayda Coleman walk-off homer in the 10th, and Utah (2-1). They also registered three run-rule victories over Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and then-No. 8 Arizona.
The second-ranked Crimson Tide (15-0) and fourth-ranked Gators (16-0) each racked up six wins, while the third-ranked Seminoles won five contests. Alabama earned a pair of run-rule wins over then-No. 20 Louisiana.
FSU swept through the field hosting the Unconquered Invite and UF swept a home and home with North Florida and picked up four triumphs at the UCF Knights Classic, including a wild 12-11 win over the host in the tournament finale.
No. 5 UCLA moved back into the top five, going 5-0 at Mary Nutter with five close wins over RV Iowa State, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Baylor and then-No. 16 Missouri.
Virginia Tech inched up one position to No. 6, while Washington dipped two spots to No. 7. The Hokies (11-2) earned wins over Ohio State, Miami and host South Carolina at the Carolina Classic. The Huskies (11-4) went 2-3 at the Nutter edging Loyola Marymount and RV Iowa State and dropped contests to San Diego State, Missouri and Northwestern.
Oklahoma State (10-4) returned to the top 10 at No. 8 following two one-run wins over host Texas A&M and a pair of shutouts of Tennessee State at the Revielle Classic. A pair of Wildcats, Arizona and Kentucky round out the top 10. The ninth-ranked Wildcats (10-4) posted a 3-2 mark at the Nutter, while No. 10 UK extended its win streak to nine games after a 4-0 showing at the FAU Strikeout Cancer Classic.
UCF (10-6) returns to the rankings at No. 24, while Notre Dame (12-3) makes its first appearance of 2022 at No. 25. No. 22 Texas (7-7) and No. 25 USF (10-3) dropped out of the rankings.
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 Feb. 27.
2022 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
March 1 (Week 3)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2022 Record |
Prev. Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
15-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Alabama |
768 |
15-0 |
2 |
|
3 |
Florida State |
734 |
15-0 |
3 |
|
4 |
Florida |
704 |
16-0 |
4 |
|
5 |
UCLA |
669 |
12-3 |
6 |
|
6 |
Virginia Tech |
639 |
11-2 |
7 |
|
7 |
Washington |
526 |
11-4 |
5 |
|
8 |
Oklahoma State |
504 |
10-4 |
11 |
|
9 |
Arizona |
492 |
10-4 |
8 |
|
10 |
Kentucky |
488 |
13-1 |
12 |
|
11 |
Arkansas |
466 |
8-3 |
10 |
|
12 |
Oregon |
449 |
11-3 |
9 |
|
13 |
Duke |
424 |
13-3 |
13 |
|
14 |
Clemson |
416 |
11-3 |
14 |
|
15 |
Missouri |
374 |
12-4 |
16 |
|
16 |
Georgia |
348 |
14-2 |
15 |
|
17 |
Northwestern |
296 |
10-4 |
18 |
|
18 |
Tennessee |
247 |
9-6 |
17 |
|
19 |
Michigan |
231 |
8-5 |
19 |
|
20 |
Auburn |
214 |
15-1 |
21 |
|
21 |
Louisiana |
182 |
10-2 |
20 |
|
22 |
LSU |
133 |
12-5 |
24 |
|
23 |
Arizona State |
106 |
9-4 |
22 |
|
24 |
UCF |
50 |
10-6 |
RV |
|
25 |
Notre Dame |
39 |
12-3 |
RV |
New to Poll: NO. 24 UCF, No. 25 Notre Dame
Dropped Out: No. 22 Texas, No. 25 USF
Receiving Votes: Texas (36), Stanford (25), USF (13), Charlotte (6), Iowa State (6), Liberty (5), James Madison (3), Texas A&M (2), Wisconsin (2), Fullerton (1), Georgia Tech (1), Illinois (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 Feb. 27, 2022.
