EUGENE - After it took its third-ever series vs. then-No. 11 Arizona last weekend, the University of Oregon softball team (34-12, 11-8) received its highest ranking of the regular season in both national polls released Tuesday.
The Ducks were tabbed No. 12 and No. 13 respectively in the USA Softball and NFCA polls – three positions better in both compared to last week. For comparison's sake, its only higher sighting in 2012 was its No. 11 position in the USA Softball preseason edition.
UO was one of seven league members that ranked top 20 nationally this week – including two in the top five overall (No. 1/1 California and No. 2/2 Arizona State) - and an eighth program ranked top 25.
Glancing at this week's polls, 11 Duck foes this season were ranked top 25 (USA Softball/ NFCA), and others included No. 4/3 Alabama, No. 9/10 Missouri, No. 13/15 Arizona, No. 15/14 Washington, No. 17/17 UCLA, No. 21/19 Stanford, No. 20/21 North Carolina, No. 22/- Oregon State and No. -/25 Baylor.
Compared to last week, Cal ranked first nationally in both polls for the sixth straight week after it swept then-No. 14 UCLA (3-0, 8-0, 10-3).
Among other movement in the top five overall:
- No. 2/2 Arizona State improved a position in the latter poll after it went 2-1 at then-No. 13 Washington (W 18-1, 6-3; L 5-4).
- No. 4/3 Alabama swapped positions in both polls after it went 2-1 at Arkansas (W 13-6, 5-1; L 8-1) and beat Troy (12-0 (5)).
- No. 3/4 Oklahoma improved two and one positions after it went 2-1 vs. then-No. 10 Missouri (W 2-1 (10), 2-1; L 4-2 (8)).
- No. 5/7 Tennessee made its first appearance in the top five after it swept Ole Miss (5-1, 9-0 (5), 2-1) and beat Tennessee State (5-0).
- No. 6/5 Louisiana-Lafayatte also earned its first top-five slot of the season after it won all three games at Western Kentucky (4-1, 2-1, 4-2).
For comparison's sake, a complete list of the Pac-12's teams rankings from last week follows: No. 1/1 California, No. 2/3 Arizona State, No. 11/13 Arizona, No. 13/11 Washington, No. 14/15 UCLA, No. 20/19 Stanford and No. 23/- Oregon State.
Oregon has now been ranked for 39 straight editions by USA Softball and 32 straight polls by the NFCA. UO's week-by-week USA SB/ NFCA rankings in that stretch follow: 2012 - Preseason 11th/16th, 2/14 19/19, 2/21 21/19, 2/28 18/18, 3/6 15/18; 3/13 14/17; 3/20 15/17; 3/27 16/17; 4/3 17/18; 4/10 15/19; 4/17 14/18; 4/25 15/16; 5/2 12/13. 2011 - Preseason 14th/14th, 2/15 14th/14th, 2/22 13th/13th, 3/2 13th/13th, 3/9 15th/14th, 3/16 16th/15th, 3/23 15th/16th, 3/30 14th/15th, 4/5 15th/16th, 4/12 17th/17th, 4/19 19th/21th, 4/26 16th/19th, 5/3 12th/17th, 5/10 11th/14th, 5/17 11th/12th, 6/15 14th/15th. 2010 - 3/8 25th/-; 3/15 25th/-; 3/22 21st/-; 3/29 21st/ RV; 4/5 17th/ RV; 4/12 17th/23rd; 4/19 18th/20th; 4/26 19th/20th; 5/3 20th/22nd; 5/5 20th/22nd; 5/10 21st-t/22nd; 6/15 14th/14th.
More information on the USA Softball and NFCA polls are available at the http://www.usasoftball.com/news.asp?uid=5398 and http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1 URL addresses.
This week, the Ducks returns to Howe Field for another busy week and its final non-conference action, and first hosts Seattle (15-28, 8-12) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday.
Later this weekend, Oregon then welcomes World Series returnee and No. 9 Missouri (37-10, 14-7) for a three-game weekend set on Friday and Saturday.
Friday's game vs. the Tigers will start at 6 p.m., and will be rebroadcast this weekend by Comcast Sports Network on Friday at 9 p.m., Saturday at 10 p.m. and again Sunday at midnight.
On Saturday, the two teams meet for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Howe Field.
Promotions-wise, Wednesday's game is a kids get in free day, while adults get two games for the price of one.
For Friday's Derby Day promotion, fans that dress in Kentucky Derby garb will get $3 general admission, and Junior Duck Club members get in free with proof of membership. The first 50 fans will also get free t-shirts.
For Saturday's Cinco de Mayo / Bi-Mart Family Day, two adults and unlimited kids get in for $10, and other fans get two games for the price of one. Kids can also run the bases post-game and get autographs from the Duck players.
NATIONAL POLLS (5/2) – Poll #12
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
http://www.usasoftball.com/folders.asp?uid=3208
Rk Team Record Totals Prev
*1. California (20) 45-3 500 1
*2. Arizona State 42-5 478 2
3. Oklahoma 40-7 450 5
*4. Alabama 45-5 441 3
5. Tennessee 44-9 415 6
6. Louisiana-Lafayette 44-2 397 7
7. Florida 43-8 386 4
8. Louisville 47-2 335 9
*9. Missouri 37-10 327 10
10. Texas 39-8 318 8
11. Georgia 38-13 292 12
>12. Oregon 34-12 284 15
*13. Arizona 32-14 248 11
14. Hawaii 40-5 222 17
*15. Washington 36-14 217 13
16. Texas A&M 33-16 205 16
*17. UCLA 33-15 198 14
18. South Florida 44-8 182 18
19. Florida State 42-11 129 20
*20. North Carolina 38-11 106 19
*21. Stanford 32-16 88 21
*22. Oregon State 33-16 87 23
23. Texas Tech 38-14 55 24
24. LSU 34-18 47 25
25. Michigan 33-15 40 22
Parenthesis denotes first place votes.
Others Receiving Votes: Tulsa (20); Syracuse (15); *Baylor (5); Georgia Tech (4); UAB (3); UMASS (3); Kansas (2); Virginia Tech (1)
Dropped Out: -
New to Poll: -
* Denotes Duck opponents in 2012
USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1
Rk Team Record Totals Prev
*1 California (29) 45-3 749 1
2 Arizona St. (1) 42-5 721 3
*3 Alabama 45-5 672 4
4 Oklahoma 40-7 657 5
5 La.-Lafayette 44-2 611 6
6 Florida 43-8 598 2
7 Tennessee 44-9 581 7
8 Texas 39-8 527 7
9 Louisville 47-2 521 9
*10 Missouri 37-10 487 10
11 Georgia 38-13 441 12
12 Hawai‘i 40-5 414 14
>13 Oregon 34-12 375 16
*14 Washington 36-14 370 11
*15 Arizona 34-14 330 13
16 USF 44-8 307 17
*17 UCLA 33-15 283 15
18 Texas A&M 33-16 248 18
*19 Stanford 32-16 204 19
20 Florida St. 42-11 168 21
*21 North Carolina 38-11 155 20
22 LSU 34-18 109 23
23 Michigan 33-15 80 22
24 Texas Tech 38-14 54 24
*25 Baylor 30-18 28 25
Others Receiving Votes: Tulsa 23, Syracuse 17, *Oregon St. 13, Massachusetts 4; three others received votes, but only appeared on one ballot.
Dropped Out: None
-The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches representing each conference. First-place votes are in parentheses.
* Denotes Duck opponents in 2012
- www.GoDucks.com -
