LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma enters its 26th consecutive week at No. 1, while Arkansas elevated to No. 5 in this week’s 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Sooners (45-1), who have not relinquished their hold since ascending to the top spot on March 2, 2021, outscored Kansas 35-1.
With the Big 12 regular-season title on the line, OU hosts No. 7 Oklahoma State in Bedlam this weekend. The Sooners and Cowgirls (38-9) are deadlocked at 14-1 in league play. OU is looking for its 10th consecutive title, while Oklahoma State would capture its first-ever Big 12 title, last winning a conference championship in 1995 (Big 8).
Virginia Tech (39-6) remained at No. 2 clinching the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with a three-game sweep of Boston College. Coming off two one-run home wins over then-No. 6 Oklahoma State, Florida State (45-5) moved up to No. 3, while UCLA (39-6) dropped to No. 4 after a 2-1 Pac-12 showing against Utah.
Behind a third straight Southeastern Conference series sweep, Arkansas improves two spots, coming in at No. 5. Clinching their second straight SEC regular-season Championship, the Razorbacks (39-8) outscored the Gamecocks 28-4.
Alabama (39-9) fell to No. 6 as it dropped a non-conference road game at Western Kentucky in its only action last week.
No. 8 Northwestern (38-7) and No. 9 Washington (32-11) enjoyed 4-0 weeks, including three-game conference sweeps of Iowa and then-No. 24 Stanford, respectively.
No. 10 Florida (38-13) rebounded from a game-one 9-1 loss at No. 19 LSU with 6-1 and 2-1 (9 inn.) triumphs to capture the series.
Missouri, coming off its second straight SEC sweep, returns to the rankings at No. 24. The Tigers (31-17) thumped then-No. 9 Kentucky, 9-1, in Lexington on April 25 and then defeated then-RV Texas A&M in all three games in Columbia. Stanford fell back out after it was swept by Washington.
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 May 1.
2022 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
May 3 (Week 12)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2022 Record |
Prev. Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
45-1 |
1 |
|
2 |
Virginia Tech |
763 |
39-6 |
2 |
|
3 |
Florida State |
730 |
45-5 |
4 |
|
4 |
UCLA |
698 |
39-6 |
3 |
|
5 |
Arkansas |
669 |
39-8 |
7 |
|
6 |
Alabama |
616 |
39-9 |
5 |
|
7 |
Oklahoma State |
609 |
38-9 |
6 |
|
8 |
Northwestern |
594 |
38-7 |
8 |
|
9 |
Washington |
536 |
32-11 |
10 |
|
10 |
Florida |
526 |
38-13 |
9 |
|
11 |
Duke |
450 |
36-7 |
12 |
|
12 |
Arizona State |
431 |
35-7 |
14 |
|
13 |
Kentucky |
419 |
33-15 |
11 |
|
14 |
Tennessee |
407 |
35-14 |
13 |
|
15 |
Auburn |
337 |
39-11 |
16 |
|
16 |
Georgia |
308 |
39-13 |
15 |
|
17 |
Texas |
294 |
35-15-1 |
17 |
|
18 |
Clemson |
291 |
37-14 |
18 |
|
19 |
LSU |
210 |
32-19 |
19 |
|
20 |
Notre Dame |
184 |
36-9 |
20 |
|
21 |
UCF |
174 |
42-11 |
21 |
|
22 |
Oregon |
132 |
29-16 |
22 |
|
23 |
Michigan |
55 |
31-15 |
23 |
|
24 |
Missouri |
54 |
31-17 |
RV |
|
25 |
Arizona |
46 |
31-16 |
25 |
New to Poll: No. 24 Missouri
Dropped Out: No. 24 Stanford
Receiving Votes: Stanford (41), Louisiana (15), Nebraska (6), San Diego State (5).
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 May 1, 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.
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