Three Big Ten squads are ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USAToday/NFCA Preseason Top 25 polls.
Michigan leads the contingent ranked No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 4 in the USAToday/NFCA list. Ohio State is ranked No. 16/14 while Northwestern checks in at No. 17/15. Also receiving votes are Purdue in both polls and Iowa in the USAToday/NFCA poll.
The Wolverines welcome back 15 players from its 2009 squad that posted a 47-12-8 record en route to the Big Ten Conference title and the program's ninth NCAA Women's College World Series appearance.
The Wildcats finished the 2009 campaign with a 31-15 record after falling in the NCAA Super Regionals. Fourteen letterwinners will return this season as the 'Cats look for their third Big Ten title and 13th NCAA berth.
The Buckeyes return 14 letterwinners from a year ago after finishing with a 47-11 overall record and making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.
The first 2010 regular season polls will be released on Tuesday, Feb. 9 (USA Today/NFCA) and Feb. 16 (ESPN.com/USA Softball). The Big Ten season begins Feb. 11 with two teams in action.
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25-Preseason
Rank Team 2009 Record Points Last Rank in 09
1. Washington (17) 51-12 479 1
2. Alabama (1) 54-11 457 3
3. Michigan 47-12 430 5
4. Arizona (1) 46-17 424 7
5. Florida 63-5 407 2
6. UCLA (1) 45-11 396 10
7. Arizona State 47-19 387 6
8. Georgia 47-12 363 4
9. Missouri 50-12 337 8
10. Oklahoma 41-16 306 17
11. California 38-20 282 12
12. Stanford 48-11 256 9
13. LSU 34-18-1 234 19
14. Georgia Tech 46-15 215 13
15. Baylor 40-22 214 15
16. Ohio State 47-11 187 11
17. Northwestern 31-15 167 20
18. Tennessee 40-18-1 163 16
19. Florida State 44-16 128 25
20. DePaul 39-14 107 23
21. Louisville 48-11 93 24
22. North Carolina 47-13 91 22
23. ULL 45-13 84 RV
24. Fresno State 38-20 70 RV
25. UMass 41-10 55 14
Others receiving votes: Kentucky (26), Jacksonville State (17), Auburn (14), North Dakota State (14), Nevada (12), Oregon (11), Oklahoma State (10), Texas (8), Cal Poly (7), Notre Dame (7), Nebraska (6), Texas A&M (5), Ball State (4), BYU (4), San Diego State (4), Long Beach State (3), Purdue (2), New Mexico State (1), Virginia Tech (1) and Western Michigan (1).
USAToday/NFCA-Preseason
RANK TEAM '09 Record TOTALS Last Poll
1 Washington (30) 51-12 750 1
2 Alabama 54-11 677 3
3 Florida 63-5 649 2
4 Michigan 47-12 625 6
5 Arizona State 47-19 613 5
6 Arizona 46-17 597 7
7 Georgia 47-12 569 4
8 UCLA 45-11 558 9
9 Missouri 50-12 536 8
10 Stanford 48-11 433 10
11 Oklahoma 41-16 401 16
12 California 38-20 370 11
13 Georgia Tech 46-15 319 13
14 Ohio State 47-11 312 12
15 Northwestern 31-15 288 18
16 Tennessee 40-18-1 245 20
17 Baylor 40-22 226 15
18 LSU 34-18-1 219 19
19 North Carolina 47-13 209 17
20 Massachusetts 41-10 199 14
21 DePaul 39-14 178 23
22 Louisville 48-11 166 RV
23 Florida State 44-16 109 22
24 Louisiana-Lafayette 45-13 88 25
25 Fresno State 38-20 75 RV
Others Receiving Votes:North Dakota St. 44, Jacksonville St. 38, Cal Poly 37, Nevada 31, Nebraska 28, Texas 23, Notre Dame 21, Cal St. Fullerton 17, San Diego St. 15, Iowa 11, Kentucky 11, Purdue 10, Hawai`i 8, Mississippi St. 7, Southern Illinois 7, Cal St. Northridge 6, Texas A&M 6, Tulsa 6, Creighton 4, BYU 3, Houston 3, Oklahoma State 3.
Michigan leads the contingent ranked No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 4 in the USAToday/NFCA list. Ohio State is ranked No. 16/14 while Northwestern checks in at No. 17/15. Also receiving votes are Purdue in both polls and Iowa in the USAToday/NFCA poll.
The Wolverines welcome back 15 players from its 2009 squad that posted a 47-12-8 record en route to the Big Ten Conference title and the program's ninth NCAA Women's College World Series appearance.
The Wildcats finished the 2009 campaign with a 31-15 record after falling in the NCAA Super Regionals. Fourteen letterwinners will return this season as the 'Cats look for their third Big Ten title and 13th NCAA berth.
The Buckeyes return 14 letterwinners from a year ago after finishing with a 47-11 overall record and making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.
The first 2010 regular season polls will be released on Tuesday, Feb. 9 (USA Today/NFCA) and Feb. 16 (ESPN.com/USA Softball). The Big Ten season begins Feb. 11 with two teams in action.
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25-Preseason
Rank Team 2009 Record Points Last Rank in 09
1. Washington (17) 51-12 479 1
2. Alabama (1) 54-11 457 3
3. Michigan 47-12 430 5
4. Arizona (1) 46-17 424 7
5. Florida 63-5 407 2
6. UCLA (1) 45-11 396 10
7. Arizona State 47-19 387 6
8. Georgia 47-12 363 4
9. Missouri 50-12 337 8
10. Oklahoma 41-16 306 17
11. California 38-20 282 12
12. Stanford 48-11 256 9
13. LSU 34-18-1 234 19
14. Georgia Tech 46-15 215 13
15. Baylor 40-22 214 15
16. Ohio State 47-11 187 11
17. Northwestern 31-15 167 20
18. Tennessee 40-18-1 163 16
19. Florida State 44-16 128 25
20. DePaul 39-14 107 23
21. Louisville 48-11 93 24
22. North Carolina 47-13 91 22
23. ULL 45-13 84 RV
24. Fresno State 38-20 70 RV
25. UMass 41-10 55 14
Others receiving votes: Kentucky (26), Jacksonville State (17), Auburn (14), North Dakota State (14), Nevada (12), Oregon (11), Oklahoma State (10), Texas (8), Cal Poly (7), Notre Dame (7), Nebraska (6), Texas A&M (5), Ball State (4), BYU (4), San Diego State (4), Long Beach State (3), Purdue (2), New Mexico State (1), Virginia Tech (1) and Western Michigan (1).
USAToday/NFCA-Preseason
RANK TEAM '09 Record TOTALS Last Poll
1 Washington (30) 51-12 750 1
2 Alabama 54-11 677 3
3 Florida 63-5 649 2
4 Michigan 47-12 625 6
5 Arizona State 47-19 613 5
6 Arizona 46-17 597 7
7 Georgia 47-12 569 4
8 UCLA 45-11 558 9
9 Missouri 50-12 536 8
10 Stanford 48-11 433 10
11 Oklahoma 41-16 401 16
12 California 38-20 370 11
13 Georgia Tech 46-15 319 13
14 Ohio State 47-11 312 12
15 Northwestern 31-15 288 18
16 Tennessee 40-18-1 245 20
17 Baylor 40-22 226 15
18 LSU 34-18-1 219 19
19 North Carolina 47-13 209 17
20 Massachusetts 41-10 199 14
21 DePaul 39-14 178 23
22 Louisville 48-11 166 RV
23 Florida State 44-16 109 22
24 Louisiana-Lafayette 45-13 88 25
25 Fresno State 38-20 75 RV
Others Receiving Votes:North Dakota St. 44, Jacksonville St. 38, Cal Poly 37, Nevada 31, Nebraska 28, Texas 23, Notre Dame 21, Cal St. Fullerton 17, San Diego St. 15, Iowa 11, Kentucky 11, Purdue 10, Hawai`i 8, Mississippi St. 7, Southern Illinois 7, Cal St. Northridge 6, Texas A&M 6, Tulsa 6, Creighton 4, BYU 3, Houston 3, Oklahoma State 3.
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