Editor’s observe: The next article was printed first on d1softball.com.
Coming into the 2024 season, Oklahoma has a chance to do one thing that’s by no means been achieved in faculty softball — win their fourth consecutive nationwide championship.
After shedding only one sport all through the 2023 season and using an energetic 53-game profitable streak, the Sooners are the unanimous No. 1 alternative within the D1Softball Preseason High 25 ballot.
Becoming a member of the Sooners within the high 10 of the preseason ballot are 4 groups that performed within the Ladies’s Faculty World Collection final season; that group contains No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Florida State, and No. 10 Washington. Fellow WCWS contributors Alabama (No. 11), Oklahoma State (No. 12), and Utah (tied for No. 14) additionally seem within the ballot.
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Star gamers and hearty offenses had been a dominating theme all through the highest ten of the rankings. No. 5 Texas and No. 6 Georgia enter the 12 months with excessive expectations for his or her offenses which are led by Mia Scott and Jayda Kearney, respectively. Reigning Nationwide Participant of the Yr Valerie Cagle’s presence within the pitching circle and the lineup for Clemson has the Tigers at No. 7 within the ballot.
No. 8 Duke and No. 9 UCLA return key cogs of their offenses. Ana Gold and Aminah Vega will anchor the Blue Devils’ lineup, whereas Maya Brady and Megan Grant signify the previous and the younger in UCLA’s deep batting order.
Buoyed by the switch addition of Jordy Bahl, Nebraska checks in at No. 13 within the rankings. Bahl returned to her house state this summer season after serving to lead Oklahoma to their third-straight nationwide title. No. 21 Louisiana and No. 23 San Diego State signify the non-Energy 5 applications within the preseason rankings.
The SEC leads all conferences with 9 ranked groups, whereas the PAC-12 checks in with 5. The Massive 12 (4), ACC (three), and Massive Ten (two) boast a number of ranked groups, whereas the Solar Belt and Mountain West every positioned a single group within the rankings.
| Rank | Workforce | Remaining 2023 Document |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | 61-1 |
| 2 | Stanford | 47-15 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 51-10 |
| 4 | Florida State | 58-11 |
| 5 | Texas | 45-15-1 |
| 6 | Georgia | 42-15 |
| 7 | Clemson | 49-12 |
| 8 | Duke | 48-12 |
| 9 | UCLA | 52-7 |
| 10 | Washington | 44-15 |
| 11 | Alabama | 45-22 |
| 12 | Oklahoma State | 47-16 |
| 13 | Nebraska | 36-22 |
| T-14 | Oregon | 38-17 |
| T-14 | Utah | 42-16 |
| 16 | Baylor | 40-18 |
| 17 | LSU | 42-17 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 40-19 |
| 19 | Auburn | 43-19 |
| 20 | Florida | 38-22 |
| 21 | Louisiana | 50-16 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 40-22 |
| 23 | San Diego State | 39-17 |
| 24 | Northwestern | 42-13 |
| 25 | Texas A&M | 35-21 |
