Arkansas’ SEC series victory over Alabama over the weekend provided the Razorbacks with a small jump in two new Top 25 softball polls this week.
The Hogs (32-12 overall, 11-7 conference) moved up one spot in both the new USA TODAY Sports/NCFA Division I Top 25 coaches poll, as well as the new D1Softball Top 25 poll.
Arkansas moved to No. 12 in D1Softball’s poll and to No. 15 in the coaches poll. The team’s highest ranking in a major poll this week is at No. 8 — in Softball America’s new Top 25, released Monday.
Just as importantly as the polls, the Razorbacks are ranked No. 13 in the RPI rankings. Similar to the NET rankings in men’s and women’s basketball, those rankings hold more weight when the selection committee decides its seedings for the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament.
The top four teams were the same in both the coaches poll and D1Softball’s poll. Texas (38-6 overall) stayed at No. 1 for the third consecutive week. Oklahoma (42-4) was ranked second while Tennessee (34-8) moved up to No. 3 in both polls.
Oklahoma State (39-8) shot up to No. 4 in both polls.
In D1Softball’s poll, UCLA jumped all the way to No. 5 after a series sweep of previously fifth-ranked Stanford. The Bruins (27-9) climbed 12 spots in D1Softball’s poll. Duke (39-6) checked in at No. 5 in the coaches poll.
The SEC had the most ranked teams of any conference with 10 teams in both polls.
Behind Tennessee, LSU was the second-highest ranked SEC school in the coaches poll at No. 6.
Arkansas will face LSU in Baton Rouge this weekend. The series begins Friday with a scheduled 6 p.m. CDT first pitch. The series can be seen on SEC Network+.