Jan. 25, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M softball team was ranked No. 21 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Div. I Preseason Poll, released Tuesday.
Defending national champion UCLA tops the list of 25 teams, followed by second-ranked Arizona and No. 3 Georgia.
The Aggies, who were picked fourth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation again this season. The team will meet several 2010 Women's College World Series (WCWS) participants in 2011, including 2009 WCWS champion No. 10 Washington as well as Georgia, seventh-ranked Missouri and Arizona.
The team will kick off the season at the Kajikawa Classic, facing three ranked teams including No. 14 Oregon on opening day. On day two of the tournament A&M will take on No. 16 BYU and Arizona back-to-back. At the Cathedral City Classic the Aggies will take on Washington before challenging Georgia and No. 22 Ohio State in a double header.
The Big 12 had five teams represented in the Aggies, Missouri, No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 15 Texas and No. 23 Oklahoma State. Nebraska and Texas Tech also received votes.
The 2011 squad welcomes eight newcomers and returns seven letterwinners from last year's 44-16 team. Returning starters include All-Big 12 selections senior Rhiannon Kliesing and sophomore Mel Dumezich and All-American sophomore Meagan May.
Texas A&M softball opens the regular season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., Feb. 11 against Cal State Fullerton. The team returns home to host the Aggie Classic Feb. 18.
USA Today/NFCA Div. I Top 25 Preseason Poll
1 UCLA (27)
2 Arizona (3)
3 Georgia
4 Tennessee
5 Florida
6 Alabama
7 Missouri
8 Hawaii
9 Oklahoma
10 Washington
11 Michigan
12 California
13 Arizona State
14 Oregon
15 Texas
16 BYU
17 Louisiana-Lafayette
18 Georgia Tech
19 LSU
20 Stanford
21 Texas A&M
22 Ohio State
23 Oklahoma State
24 Illinois
25 North Carolina