TUCSON, Ariz. ?- The University of Arizona softball team is ranked No. 5 in preseason polls by ESPN.com/USA Softball and NFCA/USA Today.
UA returns the core of its 2005 Pac-10 Champion squad, with three-time All-American Alicia Hollowell anchoring the pitching staff and 2005 Honda Softball Award finalist Caitlin Lowe patrolling the outfield.
The Wildcats are scheduled to face five of the top 10 teams in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and four of the top 10 squads in the NFCA/USA Today poll, during the regular season. Additionally, UA will play 27 regular season games against teams ranked in the Top 25 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and 30 contests against squads ranked in the NFCA/USA Today poll.
The Pac-10 has seven of its eight teams ranked in the Top 25 of the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, and six are ranked in the NFCA/USA Today.
Arizona opens its 2006 season against Cal State Northridge in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m.
2006 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
Pre-Season Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
2005 Record |
Points |
|
1. |
Michigan (16) |
65-7 |
494 |
|
2. |
UCLA (3) |
40-20 |
468 |
|
3. |
Tennessee |
67-15 |
437 |
|
4. |
Texas (1) |
49-13 |
436 |
|
5. |
Arizona |
45-12 |
421 |
|
6. |
Texas A&M |
47-10 |
391 |
|
7. |
Cal |
52-15 |
381 |
|
8. |
Alabama |
63-15 |
357 |
|
9. |
Stanford |
43-16 |
352 |
|
10. |
Baylor |
51-14 |
292 |
|
11. |
Georgia |
55-15 |
273 |
|
12. |
Oregon State |
43-16 |
259 |
|
13. |
Oklahoma |
54-17 |
255 |
|
14. |
Washington |
35-22 |
206 |
|
15. |
Northwestern |
42-18 |
195 |
|
16. |
DePaul |
45-21 |
173 |
|
17. |
Fresno State |
43-12 |
145 |
|
18. |
Missouri |
44-15 |
126 |
|
19. |
Iowa |
49-14 |
125 |
|
20. |
Auburn |
50-17 |
112 |
|
21. |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
51-10 |
106 |
|
22. |
Nebraska |
36-23 |
92 |
|
23. |
Florida |
41-23 |
68 |
|
24. |
Georgia Tech |
50-13 |
57 |
|
25. |
BYU |
45-14 |
56 |
Parentheses denote first place votes.
Others receiving votes: Fullerton (40), LSU (38), Florida State (22), Southern Illinois (16), Oregon (13), Notre Dame (12), Virginia Tech (11), UNLV (11), Arizona State (10), Bethune Cookman (9), Long Beach State (8), Pacific (7), Oklahoma State (5), South Florida (5), NC State (5), Kansas (3), Louisville (3), Hofstra (2), Wichita State (2) and North Carolina (1).
2006 USA Today/NFCA Pre-Season Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
2005 Record |
Total |
|
1. |
Michigan(21) |
65-7 |
714 |
|
2. |
UCLA (8) |
40-20 |
704 |
|
3. |
Tennessee |
67-15 |
642 |
|
4. |
Texas |
49-13 |
625 |
|
5. |
Arizona |
45-12 |
607 |
|
7. |
Stanford |
43-16 |
462 |
|
8. |
California |
52-15 |
459 |
|
9. |
Texas A&M |
47-10 |
445 |
|
10. |
Georgia |
|
