The University of Texas softball team is ranked No. 7 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll announced Tuesday. It is the highest ranking in the poll for UT since opening the 2006 campaign at No. 4.
It is the 13th time in the 17 years of the program the Longhorns have been ranked in the preseason poll, and the 10th time in the last 11 campaigns. The No. 7 ranking is tied with the 1999 squad for the second-highest preseason mark in program history, trailing only the 2006 club. In the last three years UT was tabbed No. 19 in 2012, No. 15 in 2011 and No. 23 in 2010 in the preseason rankings.
The Longhorns are one of three Big 12 Conference teams to appear in the Top 25. Oklahoma is ranked No. 2, while Baylor is No. 24. UT will face 12 opponents in the regular season who are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason Top 25: No. 2 Oklahoma (April 19-21 in Austin), No. 4 Arizona State (March 14 in Fullerton, Calif.), No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette (March 2 in Kissimmee, Fla., March 6 in Austin), No. 16 Washington (March 15 in Fullerton, Calif.), No. 18 Louisville (March 1 in Kissimmee, Fla.), No. 20 Hofstra (March 1 in Kissimmee, Fla.), No. 24 Baylor (March 23 in Waco, March 24 and May 12 in Austin), DePaul (Feb. 15 and 17 in Houston, March 16 in Fullerton, Calif.), Houston (Feb. 16 in Houston), Tulsa (Feb. 22 in Austin), Syracuse (March 2 in Kissimmee, Fla.) and Texas Tech (April 26-28 in Lubbock).
Texas opens the season hosting the Texas Classic Feb. 7-10. All five of UT's games during the event will be televised live by Longhorn Network. Texas starts the tournament with a 7 p.m. contest versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday, Feb. 7.
For season ticket information, please call 1-800-982-BEVO or 512-471-3333 or visit www.TexasBoxOffice.com. Five-game Mini Plans for seats in the general admission sections are now on sale for just $20. Deadline to order is Friday, April 12 at 4 p.m.
Rank Team 2012 Record Totals Final 2012 Poll
1 Alabama (25) 60-8 765 1
2 Oklahoma (5) 54-10 745 2
3 California (1) 58-7 704 3
4 Arizona State 53-11 684 4
5 Oregon 45-18 635 5
6 Tennessee 52-14 626 6
7 TEXAS 47-13 534 9
8 Missouri 47-14 496 11
9 Georgia 45-17 490 10
10 LSU 40-25 475 7
11 Louisiana-Lafayette 53-6 429 12
12 USF 50-14 423 8
13 Arizona 38-19 406 13
14 Florida 48-11 342 18
15 Michigan 42-17 326 15
16 Washington 39-19 316 14
17 Texas A&M 41-18 296 19
18 Louisville 55-5 255 17
19 UCLA 36-20 216 20
20 Hofstra 42-15 203 16
21 Stanford 40-19 183 21
22 North Carolina 43-15 102 24
23 Hawai'i 44-9 89 22
24 Baylor 34-22 80 RV
25 Florida State 47-16 58 RV
