Pollsters Rank BYU 16th, 20th

PROVO -- The BYU softball team is ranked No. 16 in the USA Today/NFCA and No. 20 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason polls announced Tuesday.

The Cougars, ranked a program-best No. 15 in the final polls last season, won its second-straight Mountain West Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional in 2010. BYU returns seven starters and 11 letterwinners overall to the 2011 campaign after going 46-13 last year, the most wins in program history.

BYU, never a stranger to a strong schedule, will face nine teams ranked in the preseason polls this season, including No. 1/2 UCLA, No. 4/7 Tennessee, No. 8/13 Hawaii, No. 12/12 California, No. 14/14 Oregon, No. 20/18 Stanford, No. 21/19 Texas A&M, No. 22/24 Ohio State and No. RV/23 Florida State.

Other 2011 opponents receiving votes in the polls include Fresno State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and MWC foe San Diego State.

Opening the season Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., BYU will play No. 14/14 Oregon, Texas Tech, Portland State, Ole Miss and No. 21/19 Texas A&M over the course of the weekend.

2011 NFCA/USA Today Softball Preseason Poll
Rank,School (1st Votes)  ’10 Rec.   Pts.   Prev.
1. UCLA (27)             50-11      738    1
2. Arizona (3)           52-14      715    2
3. Georgia               50-13      669    3
4. Tennessee             49-15      645    4
5. Florida               49-10      607    6
6. Alabama               52-11      588    9
7. Missouri              51-13      564    8
8. Hawai’i               50-16      500    7
9. Oklahoma              47-12      488    11
10. Washington           50-9       475    5
11. Michigan             49-8       445    10
12. California           44-19      413    13
13. Arizona State        44-17      403    12
14. Oregon               36-21      387    14
15. Texas                43-15      286    18
16. BYU                  46-13      269    15
17. Louisiana-Lafayette  45-18      248    16
18. Georgia Tech         51-11      231    17
19. LSU                  45-16      219    19
20. Stanford             37-19      209    21
21. Texas A&M            44-16      170    20
22. Ohio State           39-14      100    22
23. Oklahoma State       44-16       83    23
24. Illinois             45-8        69    25
25. North Carolina       42-20       51    24
 
Others Receiving Votes: Fresno St. 31, Hofstra 29, Florida St. 22, Fordham 13, DePaul 12, Nebraska 9, Lipscomb 8, Radford 7, Florida International 7, Kentucky 7, Louisville 6, Notre Dame 6, Texas Tech 4, East Carolina 4, Massachusetts 3, Auburn 3, San Diego St. 1, Long Island 1, Illinois St. 1, Northwestern 1.
2011 ESPN/USA Softball Preseason Poll
Rank, School (1st Votes) ’10 Rec.   Pts.     Prev.
1. Arizona (9)           52-14      488      2
2. UCLA (10)             50-11      462      1
3. Alabama (1)           52-11      420      8
4. Georgia               50-13      405      4
5. Florida               49-10      389      6
6. Oklahoma              47-12      382      10
7. Tennessee             49-15      367      3
8. Michigan              49-8       353      11
9. Missouri              51-13      340      9
10. Arizona State        44-17      309      13
11. Washington           50-9       299      5
12. California           44-19      266      12
13. Hawai’i              50-16      252      7
14. Oregon               36-21      229      14
15. Texas                43-15      217      19
16. LSU                  45-16      208      18
17. Georgia Tech         51-11      179      16
18. Stanford             37-19      165      T24
19. Texas A&M            44-16      121      22
20. BYU                  46-13       96      15
21. Louisiana-Lafayette  45-18       80      17
22. Oklahoma State       44-16       71      23
23. Florida State        44-18       61      RV
24. Illinois             45-8        56      21
24. Ohio State           39-14       56      T24
 
Others Receiving Votes: Fordham 41, San Diego State 30, Massachusetts 29, Notre Dame 22, North Carolina 13, Northwestern 11, Oregon State 11, DePaul 10, Fresno State 9, Hofstra 9, Kentucky 8, Louisville 8, Lipscomb 7, Radford 7, Florida International 5, Texas Tech 4, East Carolina 2, Syracuse 2, Maryland 1.