ORLANDO – The two major national softball polls released their final rankings of the season on Tuesday, with UCF checking in at No. 21 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 Poll.
"Team XIX deserved to be in the top 25 this year," said UCF Softball head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "That type of recognition is great for our program but it does not limit us. I love hearing the hunger that this team has to continue the legacy for years to come."
Released on March 10, the Knights were No. 7 in the initial release of the NCAA RPI, the main metric of seeding for the NCAA Championship, passing the 2015 team's highest mark of 15 overall.
"Finishing the season with an RPI of seventh in the nation is an indicator of the strength of schedule that we tackled this season and is something to be proud of," said Ball-Malone. "It put UCF back in the national spotlight and when we get the opportunity to come together again, this success will motivate us to strive even further. We will play for this group, Team XIX, for many years. Thank you to our incredible fans and families for supporting us throughout the season. Stay safe and see you soon!"
Before the conclusion of the season due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Ball-Malone led her Knights to a 21-5-1 overall record (.777 winning percentage) that included an 11-game winning streak from Feb. 14 through March 1. The Knights secured the best start in program history as they were off to a 16-2 record to start the year.
The Knights had matchups with 12 schools either receiving votes or ranked during the season, posting a 6-5-1 record against those opponents and a 9-4-1 record against Power6 teams. In 27 games, UCF outscored opponents 156-64.
Before the 2019 season, UCF was last ranked in the Top 25 in week 14 of the 2016 season. The Knights finished 38-22 that year and made it to the NCAA regional tournament.
The highest ranking the Knights have ever received came in 2015, when they were pegged as the 13th best team in the nation in weeks 15 and 16 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. UCF would go on to post a 50-9 record that season, was crowned the American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champion, and advanced to the NCAA regional tournament.
You can view the full rankings from each Top 25 poll below:
USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll
ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll
Softball America Top 25 Poll
D1 Softball Top 25 Poll
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