UCLA tabbed favorite in 2019 Pac-12 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll

SAN FRANCISCO - UCLA was voted first in the 2019 Pac-12 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll as announced by the Conference office today. The Bruins garnered 61 points and five first-place votes to sit atop the poll after advancing to the Women’s College World Series Championship game last June. WASHINGTON, one of four league teams in the 2018 WCWS, was selected to finish second by a single point garnering 60 points and four first-place votes.

ARIZONA was picked third with 50 points, improving from its fourth-place preseason selection last season. The Wildcats were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament just before the WCWS in a Pac-12 showdown versus UCLA.

ARIZONA STATE was selected fourth with 43 points, followed by OREGON STATE and CALIFORNIA in a tie for fifth with 31 points apiece. UTAH tallied 19 points to rank seventh, STANFORD placed eighth with 17 points and OREGON rounded out the poll with 12 points.

Pac-12 teams occupy the top two spots in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll with No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Washington. No. 6 Arizona makes the top-10 for its best preseason ranking since 2011 (No. 1) and is joined by No. 12 Arizona State while California, Oregon State and Oregon are receiving votes.

All four Pac-12 Women’s College World Series participants from 2018 are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA preseason poll with No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Washington, No. 12 Arizona State and No. 25 Oregon, while Arizona checked in at No. 7 to give the Pac-12 four teams in the top 10, tied for the most in the nation. California and Oregon State are receiving votes.

The Pac-12 has dominated collegiate softball as 23 of a possible 36 national titles have been claimed by Conference programs. The 2019 Pac-12 softball season begins Thursday, Feb. 7 with a UCLA double-header versus Texas-Arlington and Fresno State in the Hawaii Paradise Classic. 

More than 90 Pac-12 Softball games will be broadcast this season, including 11 on ESPN networks and more than 80 on Pac-12 Network. For more information, including a full TV schedule, please visit www.pac-12.com.

2019 Pac-12 Softball Coaches Poll (first-place votes)

2018 Pac-12 Softball Coaches Poll