Arizona State Returns to the Top of USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
April 26, 2011
STARKVILLE, Miss. – For the second time this season, Arizona State is the top softball team in all the land, according to the latest edition of the USA Today NFCA Division I Top 25 poll that was released on Tuesday by the Association.
The Sun Devils (42-5) used a sweep of then seventh-ranked Arizona on the road for the first-time in program history to garner 27 of 30 first-place votes and finish 39 points ahead of last week’s No. 1, Michigan (42-4). The Wolverines, meanwhile, dropped to second after sweeping Penn State and splitting with Iowa last week. Despite their loss, Michigan still received the other three first-place votes.
Moving up two spots this week to third was Texas (41-4), which after sweeping Texas Tech this weekend has now won 25 of its last 26 games. Georgia (40-7) dropped one spot to fourth in the new poll after a loss to Arkansas, while Florida (40-8) moved back into the top five at fifth for the first time since March after going 2-1 against then fourth-ranked Alabama (42-7).
For only the second time this season, no teams exited or entered the weekly rankings. No. 25 Auburn (34-14) held onto the final spot this week by edging Fresno State (29-11) by only four points. Additionally, 10 other teams received at least one point in this week’s rankings including newcomers Florida Atlantic (30-22), Illinois State (30-14) Indiana (30-15) and Jacksonville (35-14).
The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records as of Apr. 24, 2011 are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.
| Rank | Team | Record | Totals | Last Poll |
| 1 | Arizona State (27) | 42-5 | 747 | 2 |
| 2 | Michigan (3) | 42-4 | 708 | 1 |
| 3 | Texas | 41-4 | 692 | 5 |
| 4 | Georgia | 40-7 | 634 | 3 |
| 5 | Florida | 40-8 | 618 | 8 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 41-7 | 607 | 6 |
| 7 | Alabama | 42-7 | 601 | 4 |
| 8 | UCLA | 31-10 | 506 | 11 |
| 9 | Arizona | 36-11 | 473 | 7 |
| 10 | California | 30-9 | 470 | 12 |
| 11 | Washington | 31-8 | 461 | 9 |
| 12 | Missouri | 38-6 | 442 | 13 |
| 13 | Stanford | 32-10 | 415 | 10 |
| 14 | Nebraska | 32-9 | 362 | 14 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 34-14 | 308 | 15 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 36-11 | 279 | 18 |
| 17 | Baylor | 35-10 | 253 | 16 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 35-11 | 229 | 20 |
| 19 | Oregon | 33-11 | 220 | 21 |
| 20 | Georgia Tech | 39-8 | 168 | 22 |
| 21 | LSU | 31-15 | 159 | 23 |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 34-13 | 151 | 19 |
| 23 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 38-9 | 99 | 17 |
| 24 | Notre Dame | 33-8 | 82 | 24 |
| 25 | Auburn | 34-14 | 23 | 25 |
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: Fresno State 19, New Mexico St. 4, Texas Tech 4, Florida Atlantic 3, Indiana 3, Pacific (CA) 3, Tulsa 3, BYU 1, Illinois St. 1, Jacksonville 1, Louisville 1
