Stanford voted favorite in 2024 Pac-12 softball preseason coaches poll
Stanford has been voted as the Pac-12’s preseason favorite by the league’s softball head coaches.
The Cardinal received seven first-place votes and 63 total points to finish atop the preseason poll for the first time in Pac-12 history. Stanford went 47-15 a season ago, its highest win total since 2009, and reached its third Women’s College World Series.
Reigning regular-season champion UCLA was second with 54 points, while Utah came in third with 49 points and one first-place vote. Washington grabbed the remaining first-place vote and 45 points to finish fourth.
Oregon followed in fifth (37 points), while Arizona totaled 27 points to place sixth. California was seventh (26 points), Arizona State eighth (12 points), and Oregon State ninth (11 points) to round out the poll.
In addition to the annual coaches poll, the Pac-12 revealed the results of the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team, which was also voted on by the league’s head coaches.
2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year and Batting Champion Maya Brady of UCLA headlines the 20-member team. Two 2023 NFCA Second Team All-Americans also grace the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team in UCLA’s Megan Grant and Stanford’s Taryn Kern, who transferred to the Cardinal from Indiana. NFCA Third Team All-Americans Jordan Woolery (UCLA), Mariah Lopez (Utah), and Ruby Meylan (Washington) are also on the list. Reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Allie Skaggs represents Arizona on the team for the second-straight year.
Arizona leads the way with five preseason honorees, while UCLA and Utah each boast four.
Five of the league’s nine teams are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll, with Stanford leading the way at t-No. 3. The Cardinal is followed by No. 7 Washington, No. 10 UCLA, No. 13 Utah, and No. 15 Oregon. California and Arizona are receiving votes. The five Pac-12 programs are the second-most in the country, trailing the SEC’s nine.
Six Pac-12 softball programs reached the 2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship, with three teams advancing to the Women's College World Series.
2024 PAC-12 SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank |
Team (First-place votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Stanford (7) |
63 |
| 2. |
UCLA |
54 |
| 3. |
Utah (1) |
49 |
| 4. |
Washington (1) |
45 |
| 5. |
Oregon |
37 |
| 6. |
Arizona |
27 |
| 7. |
California |
26 |
| 8. |
Arizona State |
12 |
| 9. |
Oregon State |
11 |
2024 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 SOFTBALL TEAM (ALPHABETICAL)
|
Name |
Year |
Position |
School |
|
Tatum Anzaldo |
Sr. |
INF |
California |
|
Aliya Belarde |
Sr. |
INF |
Utah |
|
Maya Brady |
R-Sr. |
UTIL |
UCLA |
|
Nijaree Canady |
So. |
P/UTIL |
Stanford |
|
Hanna Delgado |
Sr. |
OF |
Oregon |
|
Haley Denning |
Gr. |
UTIL |
Utah |
|
Olivia Dinardo |
So. |
C/1B |
Arizona |
|
Megan Grant |
So. |
UTIL |
UCLA |
|
Julia Jimenez |
Gr. |
INF |
Utah |
|
Dakota Kennedy |
So. |
OF |
Arizona |
|
Taryn Kern |
So. |
INF |
Stanford |
|
Lindsay Lopez |
Sr. |
P |
Washington |
|
Mariah Lopez |
Sr. |
P |
Utah |
|
River Mahler |
So. |
INF |
Stanford |
|
Ruby Meylan |
So. |
P |
Washington |
|
Devyn Netz |
Sr. |
P/INF |
Arizona |
|
Sharlize Palacios |
R-Sr. |
C |
UCLA |
|
Carlie Scupin |
Sr. |
INF |
Arizona |
|
Allie Skaggs |
Sr. |
UTIL |
Arizona |
|
Jordan Woolery |
So. |
INF |
UCLA |