Softball Rankings: Week 15
5/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 17, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama softball team checked in at No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 4 in the USA Today/NFCA poll. Arizona State capped off the regular season the No. 1 team in the country in both polls.
In the final ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll of the 2011 regular season, Arizona State (50-6, 17-4 Pac-10) is ranked No. 1, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today. The Sun Devils, No. 1 for the fourth consecutive week, were ranked No. 10 in the pre-season poll released January 25.
With a 2-1 weekend over then-No. 12 Stanford (38-15, 10-11 Pac-10), Arizona State was named Pac-10 Champions, earning the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship. Michigan (51-4, 18-2 Big Ten) remains No. 2 in the poll after two 8-0 performances against Michigan State while Alabama (46-8, 19-6 SEC) improved to No. 3.
The 2011 Big 12 Champion Missouri Tigers (46-7, 15-3 Big 12) moved into the top five at No. 4 after going 3-0 on the week. At No. 5, California (39-10, 15-6 Pac-10) tied with Florida (47-9, 21-7 SEC). While Cal notched two wins over No. 10 Arizona (40-16, 11-10 Pac-10), Florida was eliminated by then-No. 24 Auburn (39-17, 15-13 SEC) in the opening game of the SEC Tournament. The Gators were third in last week's poll.
No. 7 Tennessee (47-10, 20-8 SEC) clinched the SEC Tournament crown with wins over then-No. 20 Kentucky (36-14, 14-9 SEC ), then-No. 24 Auburn (39-17, 15-13 SEC) and then-No. 9 Georgia (47-12, 17-9 SEC). Tennessee defeated Georgia, now eighth-ranked, 6-5 in eight innings to claim the title. Kentucky is now No. 21 while Auburn is No. 23.
While teams moved in the rankings, all of the Top 25 teams for the final poll of the regular season were also ranked in the Top 25 last week. The last ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll of 2011 will be released June 14 after the conclusion of the NCAA Women's College World Series, which is June 2-8 in Oklahoma City.
Less than 48 hours after being named as the No. 1 seed in the 2011 NCAA Championship, Arizona State further proved it is the team to beat by topping the final regular-season USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll of 2011. The Sun Devils (50-6) have now topped the rankings for four weeks in a row and five weeks total this season.
After winning its final Pac-10 series of the season against then-13th-ranked Stanford and the Pac-10 crown, Arizona State received 29 of the 30 first-place votes in this week's poll. Following the Sun Devils this week was Michigan (35-3), who clinched the Big 10 title and received the only other first-place vote.
Despite early exits from the SEC tournament, Florida (47-9) and Alabama (46-8) each held tight at third and fourth, respectively, in the latest rankings. The only change to the front end of the poll this week came at fifth where SEC champions Tennessee (47-10) jumped up two spots two round out the top five.
For the fourth consecutive week no team entered or exited the poll. Big East champions Syracuse (44-11) came the closest to cracking the rankings this week with 15 points, but still finished 38 points behind No. 25 and Sun Belt tournament winners Louisiana-Lafayette (49-9).
The final USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll of this season will be released on Monday, June 13, following the conclusion of the 2011 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Alabama will host the Tuscaloosa Regional which will feature Chattanooga, Memphis and Jackson State. For ticket information visit RollTide.com or call the Alabama Ticket office at 205.348.BAMA (2262).
