LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With a winning streak running to 32 games, Oklahoma continues its hold on No. 1 in this week’s 2023 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. Additionally, Duke makes its first appearance in the top 10 this year, while Central Arkansas is ranked for the first time in program history at No. 24.
The Sooners (39-1) went out on the road and picked up three non-conference wins, topping then-No. 13 LSU, 3-0, in Baton Rouge before heading to Oxford, Ohio and knocking off Louisville, 10-1, and host Miami, 13-1.
The Blue Devils (36-8) come in at No. 10 following a three-game sweep of Boston College in ACC play that ran their win streak to eight games. The Bears (31-8), behind four shutouts last week, own a 12-game winning streak. Central Arkansas completed a season sweep then-No. 10 Arkansas with a 4-0 victory at home before cruising to an ASUN series sweep at Bellarmine.
No. 2 UCLA posted its third consecutive Pac-12 sweep, knocking off then-No. 24 Arizona on the road, while No. 3 Oklahoma State went 3-1 last week with a win over Tulsa and a 2-1 Big 12 series win over Iowa State.
Tennessee returned to the No. 4 spot with four top-20 road wins last week. The Lady Vols (34-5) blanked then-No. 14 Virginia Tech, 11-0, and swept then No. 17 Kentucky. After a 2-1 eight-inning triumph, UT thumped the Wildcats, 10-2 and 15-1.
Florida State dropped a spot to No. 5 and Clemson, which became the first Division I team to reach 40 wins, remained at No. 6. Texas moved up to No. 7, while Stanford dipped three positions to No. 8. The eighth-ranked Cardinal (31-9) were swept by Utah, which elevated the Utes (29-8) ranking three spots to No. 22.
No. 9 Washington and Duke round out the top 10. Arkansas fell out of the top 10 to No. 11 and are followed by four SEC foes – No. 12 Georgia, No. 13 Florida, No. 14 Alabama and No. 15 LSU. Baylor continued to move up, making a move to No. 16 as did Oregon to No. 17.
The 2023 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 16, 2023.
2023 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
April 18 (Week 10)
|
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2023 Record |
Last Week’s Ranking |
|
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
39-1 |
1 |
|
2 |
UCLA |
766 |
39-4 |
2 |
|
3 |
Oklahoma State |
728 |
39-4 |
3 |
|
4 |
Tennessee |
699 |
34-5 |
7 |
|
5 |
Florida State |
678 |
35-8 |
4 |
|
6 |
Clemson |
621 |
40-5 |
6 |
|
7 |
Texas |
585 |
36-9-1 |
8 |
|
8 |
Stanford |
542 |
31-9 |
5 |
|
9 |
Washington |
536 |
31-9 |
9 |
|
10 |
Duke |
529 |
36-8 |
11 |
|
11 |
Arkansas |
455 |
31-12 |
10 |
|
12 |
Georgia |
436 |
33-10 |
12 |
|
13 |
Florida |
406 |
31-11 |
15 |
|
14 |
Alabama |
385 |
32-12 |
16 |
|
15 |
LSU |
332 |
34-10 |
13 |
|
16 |
Baylor |
293 |
34-10 |
18 |
|
17 |
Oregon |
264 |
28-11 |
19 |
|
18 |
Virginia Tech |
251 |
32-12 |
14 |
|
19 |
Auburn |
220 |
32-13 |
21 |
|
20 |
Kentucky |
210 |
25-13-1 |
17 |
|
21 |
Northwestern |
198 |
28-9 |
22 |
|
22 |
Utah |
169 |
29-8 |
25 |
|
23 |
Wichita State |
149 |
36-8 |
20 |
|
24 |
Central Arkansas |
36 |
31-8 |
RV |
|
25 |
Texas A&M |
33 |
26-16 |
23 |
New To Poll: No. 24 Central Arkansas
Dropped Out: No. 24 Arizona
Receiving Votes: Arizona (22), Boston University (19), Louisiana (16), South Carolina (9), California (7), Notre Dame (3), Arizona State (2), Boise State (1).
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