LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The top four programs remained unchanged in this week’s 2023 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. Oklahoma, the top overall seed heading into the NCAA Tournament, is No. 1 for the 10th straight week and has held the top spot in 41 of the last 42 polls. The final poll of the season will be announced on June 13.
With victories over Iowa State and new-No. 8 Texas, the Sooners (51-1) extended their winning program-record winning streak to 43 games, four shy of the NCAA record set by Arizona in 1995-96. OU also improved its record against ranked opponents to 21-0 in 2023. As the No. 1 overall seed for the fourth straight season, OU will open with Hofstra on May 19, in a four-team pod that also features Missouri and California.
Along with Oklahoma, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Florida State and No. 4 Tennessee also earned those respective overall seeds for the NCAA Tournament and will host Regionals, May 19-21. It marks the ninth-straight time the Bruins (52-5) and Seminoles (50-8) earned hosting duties on the first weekend of the tournament.
UCLA was the runner up in the first-ever Pac-12 Conference Tournament. The Bruins knocked off Arizona and No. 7 Stanford before falling to new-No. 17 Utah in the title game. The Utes (37-13) jumped into the top 20 after wins over California, then-No. 5 Washington and UCLA, which earned them the 15th overall NCAA seed.
FSU and the Lady Vols (44-8) each captured conference tournament crowns, double dipping after winning their regular seasons as well. The Seminoles won their 19th Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 2-1 walk-off win over new-No. 5 Duke, while UT defeated South Carolina for its third Southeastern Conference tournament championship, first since 2011.
The Blue Devils (45-10) took over the fifth spot from the Huskies (38-12). After Stanford and Texas, Oklahoma State and Clemson dipped to No. 9 and 10, respectively. These previously-mentioned six programs – Duke (No. 8), Washington (No. 7), Stanford (No. 9), Texas (No. 13), Oklahoma State (No. 6) and Clemson (No. 16) - earned overall national seeds and will host Regionals.
In other conference tournament action, No. 15 Northwestern, No. 23 Central Arkansas and No. 25 Boston University added Big Ten, ASUN and Patriot League titles to their respective trophy cases.
All 25 ranked programs earned passage into the NCAA Tournament. Rounding out the NCAA national seeds are the No. 11 through No. 15 ranked teams – LSU (No. 10), Alabama (No. 5), Arkansas (No. 11), Georgia (No. 14) and Northwestern (No. 12) – in the NFCA poll.
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 May 14, 2023.
2023 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
May 16 (Week 14)
Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2023 Record |
Last Week’s Ranking |
1 |
Oklahoma (32) |
800 |
51-1 |
1 |
2 |
UCLA |
755 |
52-5 |
2 |
3 |
Florida State |
742 |
50-8 |
3 |
4 |
Tennessee |
710 |
44-8 |
4 |
5 |
Duke |
650 |
45-10 |
6 |
6 |
Washington |
631 |
38-12 |
5 |
7 |
Stanford |
605 |
40-13 |
7 |
8 |
Texas |
544 |
42-13-1 |
10 |
9 |
Oklahoma State |
525 |
41-14 |
8 |
10 |
Clemson |
513 |
46-9 |
9 |
11 |
LSU |
461 |
40-15 |
11 |
12 |
Alabama |
441 |
40-18 |
14 |
13 |
Arkansas |
420 |
38-17 |
12 |
14 |
Georgia |
394 |
39-13 |
13 |
15 |
Northwestern |
317 |
38-11 |
19 |
16 |
Auburn |
299 |
40-17 |
16 |
17 |
Utah |
290 |
37-13 |
21 |
18 |
Baylor |
278 |
39-16 |
15 |
19 |
Oregon |
243 |
35-15 |
17 |
20 |
Florida |
204 |
36-20 |
18 |
21 |
Wichita State |
142 |
43-10 |
20 |
22 |
Kentucky |
111 |
30-20-1 |
22 |
23 |
Central Arkansas |
104 |
44-10 |
24 |
24 |
Virginia Tech |
90 |
37-18 |
23 |
25 |
Boston University |
48 |
51-8 |
25 |
New To Poll: None
Dropped Out: None
Receiving Votes: South Carolina (27), Louisiana (24), Marshall (19), Texas A&M (12), Prairie View A&M (1).
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 May 14.
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