5-11-10 Huskies Top USA Softball Poll

For Immediate Release: 5/11/10

Washington continues historic run atop ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the 15th consecutive time, Washington is the No. 1 team in the nation, according to the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll released today by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America. The Huskies were the unanimous pick for the top spot. The voting panel, which currently includes 17 coaches on the Division I level and three people from softball organizations and publications, has put Washington (43-5) on top in every balloting since the final poll of the 2009 season. The team was ranked No. 1 in the pre-season poll released in January as well as all 13 regular season polls this year.  With only a three game series remaining at 2008 NCAA National Champion Arizona State (40-13) before post season play, the 2009 NCAA National Champion Huskies look to become the first team since the poll’s inception in 2003 to remain at No. 1 all season. No. 2 Michigan (44-6), No. 4 Arizona (42-9) and No. 6 UCLA (38-10) have also received No. 1 votes this year but never enough to shake the Huskies.

Last week, now No. 17 Stanford (33-17) looked to help knock the Huskies from the top spot but could not deliver. After being shutout 8-0 in five, the Cardinal lost 2-1 on a walk-off homer from ace Danielle Lawrie. Stanford also lost the third game 1-0 in eight innings. No. 10 Arizona State lost two of three games to Oregon State, the only unranked team in the Pac-10, which dropped ASU from No. 8.

In other action from the top teams, Michigan, No. 3 Alabama (43-9) and No. 5 Florida (42-7) went undefeated in Week 13. Michigan topped Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Michigan State twice while Alabama swept Mississippi State. Florida topped North Florida twice and South Carolina three times.

Arizona dropped an 11 inning contest to now No. 20 Oregon (33-15). UCLA won two of three with No. 13 California (38-17). While most top teams head to conference tournaments, the Wildcats and the Bruins face off Thursday-Saturday in Tucson, Ariz., to close out their regular seasons.

Next week’s poll will be the final poll of the regular season with the final poll of the 2010 softball season being released on June 15 after the conclusion of the 2010 NCAA Women’s College World Series.

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

May 11 – May 3- 9  

Parenthesis Denotes first place votes.

Dropped Out: None
New to Poll: None

Others receiving votes:  DePaul (21), Fordham (12), BYU (5), San Diego State (4), Louisville (1) and University of Tennessee-Martin (1)