Jan. 26, 2016 WACO, Texas - Baylor's softball team will open the season with the 16th spot in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll, announced by the association on Tuesday morning.
Earning another place in the coaches poll, BU has now been nationally-ranked for 80-consecutive weeks, dating back to Mar. 1, 2011.
The Big 12 Conference placed two teams in the poll, with Oklahoma taking the No. 9 spot. Additionally, Kansas and Texas both received votes.
Two-time defending national champion, Florida, opens the season as the favorite, with Michigan, LSU, Auburn, and Alabama all receiving first-place votes and rounding out the top five.
Baylor will compete against some of the nation's best, with six teams on the 2016 schedule earning top-25 rankings and five more receiving votes in the preseason poll.
Baylor opens the season with a series against McNeese State on Feb. 12-14 at Getterman Stadium in Waco.
2016 USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Coaches Poll
Preseason | Jan. 26, 2016
Rank | Team | Points | 2015 Record | Final 2015 Rank |
1 | Florida (26) | 782 | 60-7 | 1 |
2 | Michigan (2) | 755 | 60-8 | 2 |
3 | LSU (2) | 711 | 52-14 | 4 |
4 | Auburn (1) | 698 | 56-11 | 3 |
5 | Alabama (1) | 672 | 48-15 | 6 |
6 | Oregon | 666 | 51-8 | 7 |
7 | UCLA | 625 | 51-12 | 5 |
8 | Tennessee | 548 | 47-17 | 8 |
9 | Oklahoma | 514 | 49-9 | 9 |
10 | Florida State | 493 | 49-14 | 10 |
11 | Louisiana Lafayette | 449 | 42-12 | 11 |
12 | Georgia | 416 | 44-17 | 12 |
13 | Arizona | 385 | 41-20 | 13 |
14 | Minnesota | 376 | 49-11 | 15 |
15 | Missouri | 369 | 42-16 | 14 |
16 | Baylor | 290 | 41-17 | 18 |
17 | UCF | 270 | 50-9 | 16 |
18 | Kentucky | 260 | 32-26 | 17 |
19 | James Madison | 198 | 48-10 | 22 |
20 | Washington | 197 | 42-17 | 21 |
21 | California | 142 | 39-18 | 23 |
22 | Arizona State | 136 | 36-22 | 20 |
23 | North Carolina State | 114 | 38-22 | 19 |
24 | Notre Dame | 77 | 42-15 | t25 |
25 | South Alabama | 73 | 40-13 | 23 |
Receiving Votes: Texas A&M (38), North Dakota State (32), Utah (22), Hofstra (14), Nebraska (13), Texas (12), Northwestern (10), Ohio State (6), North Carolina (6), Florida Atlantic (5), Mississippi State (5), USC Upstate (4), UAB (4), Western Kentucky (4), Fresno State (3), Kansas (2), Louisville (2), Pittsburgh (2).
-BU-
