5-3-2011 Arizona State #1 in ESPN Poll

Arizona State holds steady atop the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the third time in four weeks, Arizona State is No. 1 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, announced today by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of  America. The Sun Devils (45-5, 12-3 Pac-10) swept unranked Oregon State to capture 20 first-place votes in the poll. It is the second consecutive No. 1 ranking for the team, joining Alabama as the only teams this season to hold the top ranking consecutively.

Michigan (44-4, 12-2 Big Ten) is No. 2 for the second consecutive week. Tennessee (44-7, 20-5 SEC) improved to a season high No. 3 ranking, following a sweep of Arkansas, 11-1, 8-0 and 9-1, all run-rule victories. Texas (44-5, 13-1 Big 12) dropped a spot to No. 4, following their first conference loss, a 5-2 contest with now No. 15 Oklahoma (35-16, 8-8 Big 12).

Alabama (42-7, 16-6 SEC) holds the No. 5 spot, although their mid-week contest with UAB and the three game home stand with then-No. 15 Kentucky (35-11, 13-7 SEC) were canceled because of a tornado and destruction in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Kentucky is now ranked No. 16. The Wildcats also sat out a mid-week doubleheader with unranked Ole Miss due to weather.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Florida (43-8, 18-7 SEC), California (34-9, 10-5 Pac-10), Missouri (40-6, 11-2 Big 12), Georgia (42-9, 15-8 SEC)  and Stanford (35-11, 8-7 Pac-10). California moved up two spots to No. 7 with a sweep of then-No. 11 UCLA (31-13, 7-8 Pac-10). With two consecutive losses to unranked Auburn, Georgia dropped from fourth to ninth. Stanford won a series with then-No. 12 Washington (32-10. 7-8 Pac-10) to move up from No. 13.

Arizona, a team that has held the No. 1 ranking in 2011, has fallen out of the Top 10 for the first time this season, coming in at No. 13 after recording five losses in six games during Weeks 11 and 12. The Wildcats lost 2-0 and 12-6 this weekend to then-No. 16 Oregon (35-12, 7-8 Pac-10) before rebounding with Sunday’s 7-6 win. Oregon is now 12th ranked.

 Fresno State (29-14, 13-5 WAC) dropped completely out of the poll, going from No. 25 to not receiving any votes, making way for a new entry. Indiana (34-15, 14-2 Big Ten) is in the Top 25 for the first time this season following a four win week. The Hoosiers are No. 24 following 8-0 and 3-1 wins over Illinois and 3-1 and 5-0 contests with Iowa.

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

May 3 – April 25- May 1, 2011 – Week 12

Dropped Out:  Fresno State
New to Poll: Indiana

Others receiving votes: Auburn (15), Houston (9), Maryland (9), BYU (8), Texas Tech (2), Tulsa (2) and Syracuse (1)