Huskers Jump to Ninth in USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll

Lincoln -- The Nebraska softball team moved up two spots to No. 9 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Division I Top 25 poll released Wednesday afternoon.

Nebraska, which was ranked No. 11 in the 2002 preseason poll, owns a 6-4 record after two weeks of competition, but three of NUs four losses came at the hands of Top 5 teams. The Huskers lost twice to No. 1 ULCA and once to No. 5 Louisiana State, but upset then-No. 10 Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, and Oregon State, 3-1, which moved up seven spots to No. 11 in this weeks pool NU also defeated Wisconsin, which received votes in the poll.

The USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Top 25 is voted on by 27 NCAA Division I coaches representing all Division I conferences and independents. First-place votes are in parentheses. Records are through games of February 17.

Rk School Record Pts. Preseason
1. UCLA (24)* 13-0 672 2
2. Stanford (1) 9-0 637 3
3. Arizona (2) 12-2 632 1
4. Oklahoma* 8-0 570 7
5. LSU* 8-3 536 4
6. Washington 14-3 515 9
7. California 8-4 507 5
8. Arizona State 9-2 471 8
9. Nebraska 6-4 398 12
10. Michigan 4-1 379 11
11. Oregon State* 12-2 341 18
12. Pacific 5-2 334 19 (tie)
13. Fresno State 6-3 330 16
14. Cal State Fullerton* 6-5 308 10
15. DePaul 4-1 284 19 (tie)
16. Iowa 2-3 247 6
17. Florida State 9-4 212 15
18. Alabama 7-6 207 13
19. Notre Dame* 3-2 204 14
20. South Carolina 7-3 177 22
21. Florida Atlantic 7-2 161 NR
22. La-Lafayette 5-2 122 21
23. Georgia 15-0 101 NR
24. Mississippi State 8-2 71 NR
25. Massachusetts 3-2 60 24

Dropped Out: San Diego State, South Florida, Southwest Texas State.
Others Receiving Votes: Ohio State 46, Wisconsin 37*, Southwest Texas State 35, Oklahoma State 33*, Florida 23, Texas A&M 19*, Southern Mississippi 15, Auburn 13, Hawaii 12, Houston 12, San Diego State 12, Texas 8, Illinois State 7.
*Denotes 2002 NU opponents