WACO, Texas - For the third consecutive season, Baylor's softball team was selected to finish second in the 2016 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll. The Big 12 head coaches selected Oklahoma as the top team entering the 2016 season, marking the seventh time in the past eight years OU has been tabbed the preseason favorite.

Baylor earned two first-place votes and came in second with 32 points. BU's two first-place votes marks the most first-place votes for the Lady Bears in the conference poll since the 2008 season, the year after BU won its first conference championship.

Texas landed in third place with 26 points and Kansas was fourth with 20. Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Iowa State round out the field.

The Lady Bears, who fell in the Regional final in 2015, enter the 2016 campaign returning seven starting position players, including NFCA All-American Shelby Friudenberg (.357 BA, 18 HR, 46 RBI), and its three top pitchers, including 2015 Big 12 strikeout leader Heather Stearns (21-13, 2.57 ERA/239 SO).

Baylor kicks off its 2016 campaign with a home series against McNeese State on Feb. 12-14 at Getterman Stadium.

2016 Big 12 Softball Preseason Poll