Texas Tech, Texas, and Tennessee lead off week one DI college softball poll in top spots: NFCA

Texas Tech and UCLA had solid opening weekends.

The first week of college softball has already delivered exciting showdowns between likely Women’s College World Series teams.

Playoff teams from last year remain dominant, while others are already falling short of expectations.

Texas Tech claims the top spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association week one poll after going 6-0 on opening weekend. The NFCA poll is a weekly ranking of top fastpitch softball teams voted on by coaches.

The Red Raiders' best win was over No. 9 Texas A&M in a 3-2 victory, which saw Texas Tech’s ace Nijaree Canady pitch 7 innings — a complete game — in 2-run ball.

Texas lost the No. 1 rank by dropping one of its two games against Nebraska in the University of Texas at San Antonio Invitational. Texas won the other five games it played as it looks to make another run at the Women’s College World Series.

The No. 6 UCLA Bruins remains the last Big10 representative in the top 10 after Oregon had a tough weekend. UCLA went 5-0, scoring 58 runs in just 25 innings. 

Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery were instrumental in this offensive explosion. They combined for 25 RBIs, while also each hitting 5 home runs, tied for the most in Division I softball.

Oregon comes into week two with a 2-3 record that dropped them from the No. 5 to the No. 15-ranked team. This was due in part to the strength of Oregon’s opponents. Oregon had to face No. 3 Tennessee, No. 18 Clemson, and No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana. 

Florida Atlantic University was one of the more surprising teams from opening weekend.

They went 5-0, including a win over Ohio State, which was ranked No. 25 in the preseason poll. Florida Atlantic, ranked No. 23, has a tough task ahead to keep that spot, as they will compete in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

The Shriners Children’s Invitational will see 10 of the top 25 teams compete from Thursday, Feb. 12, until Sunday, Feb. 15. Florida Atlantic will be facing some of the steepest competition as they are taking on No. 1 Texas Tech, No. 3 Tennessee, and No. 8 Florida State. 

UCLA also has a chance to make a statement at the Invitational as they take on Tennessee, Florida State, and LSU.

The season is only just beginning, but storylines about true contenders and star athletes are already being written. 

Most recent NFCA rankings, record, and preseason ranking:

25. Southeastern Louisiana, 4-2, (Unranked)

24. Virginia, 4-1 (Unranked)

23. Florida Atlantic, 5-0, (Unranked)

22. Duke, 4-1, (23)

21. Ole Miss, 3-2, (14)

20. Georgia, 4-1, (20)

19. Mississippi State, 4-0, (22)

18. Clemson, 3-2, (13)

17. Arizona, 3-2, (17)

16. South Carolina, 3-2, (12)

15. Oregon, 2-3, (5)

14. Virginia Tech, 5-0, (19)

13. Stanford, 5-0, (18)

12. LSU, 6-0, (16)

11. Nebraska, 3-2, (10)

10. Alabama, 5-0, (15)

9. Arkansas, 4-1, (9)

8. Texas A&M, 4-1, (11)

7. Florida State, 5-0, (8)

6. UCLA, 5-0, (7)

4. Oklahoma, 3-1, (3)

4. Florida, 5-0, (6)

3. Tennessee, 5-0, (4)

2. Texas, 4-1, (1)

1. Texas Tech, 6-0, (2)

Thank you for reading Female Athlete News. Carter Joseph Brooks is a student-intern at Penn State.