USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll
Arizona landed the top spot in the final USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll Wednesday after claiming its second straight national title at the Women’s College World Series.
The Wildcats, who topped the preseason rating, return to the top spot after overcoming five elimination games to clinch the school’s eighth national championship with a 50-14-1 record. UA defeated previous No. 1 Tennessee in the championship series, slipping the Lady Vols one spot to second.
UT hasn’t ranked any lower than second in the poll this season, including claiming the top spot for 12 of the 15 weeks. The Lady Vols ended their year 63-8 as they became the first SEC team to advance to the championship game.
Washington jumped eight places to third after it made a run to the WCWS that saw it end its season 42-19 and one win from the championship series. Fellow national semifinalist Northwestern came in at No. 4 as it finished the year 52-13.
Baylor finished the season in the No. 5 spot as it concluded one of the top seasons in school history with a 51-16 record and the school’s first trip to the Women’s College World Series. DePaul followed at No. 6 as the Blue Demons jumped eight places following a 47-win campaign that led to another venture to Oklahoma City.
Fellow WCWS participants Texas A&M and Arizona State followed in the poll, with the Aggies staying at the No. 7 spot while the Sun Devils moved up one place to ninth.
A pair of SEC squads round-out the top 10, with Alabama coming in at No. 9 and LSU at No. 10 after both teams ended their 2007 seasons with NCAA Super Regional appearances. The Crimson Tide, who earned the program’s first No. 1 national ranking this season, fell seven places after it was eliminated from post-season play by Washington. LSU slipped five notches after Arizona State ended another WCWS bid for the Tigers.
Oklahoma, who ranked third in the previous poll, dropped eight places to 11th after DePaul ended the Sooners’ year in the super regional with a 55-8 record. Hawaii stayed at No. 12 after it ended the top season in school annals with a loss to Tennessee in the super regional.
Michigan dropped three places to No. 13, landing just ahead of a Florida squad that leaped five places after earning a super regional berth. Oregon State stayed at No. 15, while Cal State Fullerton jumped into the poll at No. 16 after a stellar post-season run that ended with a loss to eventual champion Arizona in the super regional.
Virginia Tech jumped four places to No. 17, and UCLA followed as it fell five places to 18th after having its season concluded in the Los Angeles regional.
Georgia Tech remained in the top 20 after it dropped two places to 19th, and Stanford held on at No. 20 after it fell four notches from the previous rankings.
South Carolina jumped back into the poll at No. 21 after it knocked off Oregon to advance to the school’s first super regional appearance. The Ducks dropped two places to 22nd.
Ohio State leaped two spots to 23rd, just ahead of a Texas squad that fell six places after ending its season short of the WCWS for the first time in two seasons.
Fresno State and Missouri tied for the 25th spot after both teams re-emerged back into the poll.
