LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite suffering its first loss of the season, Oklahoma remained the top ranked team in this week’s 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The unanimous No. 1 Sooners (38-1) had its NCAA DI-record undefeated start of 38 games halted by then-No. 18 Texas in the final game of a three-game Big 12 series. After 3-0 and 9-1 victories, OU dropped the series finale to the Longhorns (31-12-1), 4-2, snapping a 40-game win streak that dated back to 2021.
In the top five, Alabama leapfrogged Virginia Tech for No. 2, while an idle UCLA overtook Florida State for No. 4. The Crimson Tide (36-6) swept Mississippi State in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play, rebounding from an opening-week defeat at then No. 7 Florida on April 11.
The Hokies (32-6) and Seminoles (39-5) each suffered a knock in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) action, but captured their respective league series against Virginia and North Carolina. VT also topped Liberty in mid-week action.
No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 7 Arkansas and No. 10 Northwestern all earned conference series wins. The Cowgirls (34-7) and Wildcats (30-6) swept through Kansas and Purdue, while the Razorbacks (32-8) defeated then-No. 8 Kentucky in games one and three. Ninth-ranked UK did earn road wins over in-state foe Louisville and in game two at Arkansas.
Florida (34-9) jumped the Wildcats (29-11) for the eighth spot after its early-week win over Alabama and a three-game SEC-series sweep of Ole Miss.
Nebraska enters the poll for the first time since March 22, 2016 The Huskers (33-9) picked up five wins in Big Ten action and ran its win streak to 18 games, the third longest active streak in Division I behind No. 13 Arizona State (20) and Boston University (19).
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 April 17.
2022 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
April 19 (Week 10)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2022 Record |
Prev. Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
38-1 |
1 |
|
2 |
Alabama |
747 |
36-6 |
3 |
|
3 |
Virginia Tech |
745 |
32-6 |
2 |
|
4 |
UCLA |
694 |
32-5 |
5 |
|
5 |
Florida State |
682 |
39-5 |
4 |
|
6 |
Oklahoma State |
641 |
34-7 |
6 |
|
7 |
Arkansas |
601 |
32-8 |
7 |
|
8 |
Florida |
566 |
34-9 |
9 |
|
9 |
Kentucky |
536 |
29-11 |
8 |
|
10 |
Northwestern |
524 |
30-6 |
10 |
|
11 |
Washington |
449 |
25-11 |
11 |
|
12 |
Duke |
447 |
34-5 |
12 |
|
13 |
Arizona State |
432 |
31-5 |
13 |
|
14 |
Georgia |
366 |
35-9 |
14 |
|
15 |
Tennessee |
361 |
29-12 |
15 |
|
16 |
Texas |
310 |
31-12-1 |
18 |
|
17 |
Clemson |
307 |
33-11 |
16 |
|
18 |
Auburn |
243 |
32-9 |
19 |
|
19 |
Oregon |
208 |
25-13 |
17 |
|
20 |
UCF |
205 |
37-10 |
20 |
|
21 |
LSU |
155 |
27-16 |
21 |
|
22 |
Notre Dame |
98 |
31-9 |
23 |
|
23 |
Michigan |
85 |
26-13 |
22 |
|
24 |
Arizona |
61 |
23-15 |
25 |
|
25 |
Nebraska |
57 |
33-9 |
RV |
New to Poll: No. 25 Nebraska
Dropped Out: No. 24 Stanford
Receiving Votes: Stanford (24), USC Upstate (15), Oregon State (13), Louisiana (10), USF (9), Missouri (5), Mississippi State (3), San Diego State (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 April 17, 2022.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,000 coaches today!
