Oklahoma maintains their spot atop the Extra Inning Softball Top 25 poll for the ninth consecutive week, though there is some significant shakeup in the rankings following Week 9 games.
Returning to the #2 spot that they occupied for much of the season is Virginia Tech; the Hokies took a series win in Tallahassee this weekend and scored 23 runs in game two of the series.
Alabama, Northwestern, and Florida State round out the top five in the poll. The Crimson Tide took a series win over Florida, while Northwestern scored a road sweep against Ohio State. Florida State lost the series to Virginia Tech, but did salvage the series finale and also earned a midweek win over Florida.
In addition to Alabama, who rose four spots in this week’s poll, the week’s biggest risers were #10 Arizona State (+3), #13 Clemson (+3), and #14 Georgia (+4).
Falling in the Week 9 poll were #20 Oregon (-8), #22 Auburn (-5), #15 Tennessee (-4), and #6 UCLA (-4). The Ducks and Tigers were swept at the hands of conference foes, while the Lady Vols and Bruins each took one win in their weekend three-game series’.
New to this week’s poll are #18 Stanford, #19 Notre Dame, #24 LSU, and #25 Illinois. The Fighting Irish, Tigers, and Illini have all appeared in the Extra Inning Softball Top 25 this season, while Stanford makes their debut in the poll.
The SEC leads all leagues with eight teams in the Week 9 Top 25 poll, while the PAC-12 boasts six teams in the poll. The ACC checks in with five teams in the poll, while the Big 12 boasts three teams in the poll and the Big 10 is represented by a pair of programs. The American, with one team in this week’s poll, rounds out the represented leagues in the Week 9 Top 25.
Extra Inning Softball‘s Top 25 voting group includes working media members who regularly cover softball, as well as a group of coaches and SIDs.
New to Poll: #18 Stanford, #19 Notre Dame, #24 LSU, #25 Illinois
Dropped Out: Wisconsin, Ohio State, UNLV, Michigan
