LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma enters its 25^th consecutive week at No. 1 in this week’s 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Sooners (42-1) have not relinquished their hold since ascending to the top spot on March 2, 2021.

OU rebounded from its first defeat of 2022 with a mid-week run-rule win at North Texas and a three-game sweep of Iowa State in Big 12 Conference action. At 42-1 this year, the Sooners have posted a 86-5 mark since taking over No. 1 last season with two of those defeats coming at the Women’s College World Series.

With then-No. 2 Alabama (39-8) dropping two games to Texas A&M and falling to the fifth spot, Virginia Tech, UCLA and Florida State each moved up one position in the rankings following 4-0 weeks. The second-ranked Hokies (36-6) went on the road and defeated then No. 15 Tennessee (33-13), 5-2, and swept Louisville in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The No. 3 Bruins (36-5) topped San Diego and swept a Pac-12 series from RV Oregon State in Corvallis, while the fourth-ranked Seminoles (43-5) trumped Stetson and picked up three ACC victories over then-No. 17 Clemson.

No. 6 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Arkansas posted undefeated weeks. The Cowgirls (38-7) thumped Tulsa and earned three tightly-contested victories over then-No. 16 Texas. The Razorbacks (35-8) swept then-No. 8 Florida in a three-game SEC series. It marks the first time Arkansas earned a sweep of UF in a three-game series, including their first-ever series win in Gainesville. The last time the Razorbacks took a series from the Gators was a doubleheader sweep in 2000.

Northwestern elevated to No. 8 after a 4-1 week in Big Ten Conference action. Following a twinbill split at Illinois, the Wildcats (34-7) swept Indiana on the road. The Gators (35-12) fell to No. 9, while Washington came in at No. 10. The Huskies (28-11) took all three Pac-12 games from then-No. 19 Oregon in Eugene.

Stanford returned to No. 24 after a winnings its Pac-12 series against then-No. 13 Arizona State (32-7), while Nebraska, who had its 18-game win streak snapped at Wisconsin, exited the poll

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 24.

2022 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll

April 26 (Week 11)  

New to Poll: No. 24 Stanford

Dropped Out: No. 25 Nebraska

Receiving Votes: Missouri (23), Louisiana (18), Nebraska (14), Oregon State (6), Mississippi State (1), San Diego State (1), Texas A&M (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 24, 2022.

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