USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Final Poll 

Arizona, the 2006 softball national champion, unanimously topped the final USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Softball Poll, the association announced Wednesday. 

Fresh off winning its seventh national title, Arizona moved back into the No. 1 position for the first time since a four-week span that ended Mar. 15. The No. 1 position also marks the first time since 2001 UA has ended the season on top. 

Northwestern made what many call a “Cinderella” run to the national championship series, and the poll results reflected that as the Wildcats jumped nine places to No. 2. Tennessee moved up two places to third after a stellar run in Oklahoma City that saw the Lady Vols take the national champs to the “if necessary” game en route to a third-place finish. 

UCLA, who had topped the poll the last five weeks, dropped to fourth after falling to Northwestern in the national semifinal. Texas, who went 1-2 in its second straight trip to OKC, dropped three places to fifth. 

Arizona State moved up three places to sixth after advancing to the WCWS, while Alabama fell three places to seventh after falling in its first two games in Oklahoma City. Oregon State, who also dropped its opening two games of the WCWS, dropped one place to eighth in the final rankings of the season. California, who fell to Oregon State in super regional play, moved down three spots to ninth, while Michigan advanced three places to 10th after taking Tennessee to the full three games in the super regional. 

LSU moved up one place to No. 11 after forcing the full three super regional games against Arizona. Stanford dropped to 12th after falling to Alabama in super regional play, and Georgia moved down five spots to No. 13 after falling at home in regional action. 

Nebraska held at No. 14, while Washington jumped two places to No. 15 after advancing to super regional action. Louisiana-Lafayette, who fell in the regional championship to LSU, fell one place to No. 16, while Louisville moved up one place to 17th after a solid showing in the Knoxville regional. 

South Florida, who advanced to super regional play for the first time, jumped up seven spots into a tie for 18th with an Oklahoma squad that fell to Michigan in the regional championship. 

Baylor rounded out the top 20 after falling one place from No. 19, and was followed immediately by Auburn, who held steady at No. 21. Fresno State maintained its hold on No. 23, while Massachusetts and Florida State both used super regional runs to vault into the rankings at Nos. 24 and 25, respectively.