Softball Ranked as High as No. 14 Following Week 1 National Poll Release

ORLANDO – Following the official start of the 2023 season this weekend, the five major NCAA softball rankings publications each released their updated top 25 polls with a handful of games already in the books for teams across the nation. The Knights have been ranked within the top 20 by each poll, with the USA Today/NFCA rankings slotting UCF at No. 20 in the nation entering its Wednesday tilt against (RV) Missouri.

The highest ranking the Knights garnered came from Extra Inning Softball's poll, with a No. 14 spot. Softball America slotted UCF in at No. 18 in the country, while D1Softball.com and ESPN/USA Softball pegged the Knights at No. 19 and No. 20, respectively.

The Tigers, UCF's Wednesday evening opponent, did not find themselves within the top 25 of the USA Today/NFCA rankings, but did receive 45 votes. Eight of the Knights' 2023 opponents were ranked by the USA Today/NFCA poll, beginning with second-ranked UCLA. Florida came in third in the poll, followed by No. 5 Oklahoma State. Georgia, which UCF matched up against on Opening Knight, was slotted in at No. 13, followed by Alabama (15), Duke (16), Arizona State (22) and Michigan (25).

Missouri is joined by Louisiana (37), Mississippi State (27), Wichita State (4) and Louisville (1) to round out the group of UCF 2023 opponents to receive votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll.

Eight of UCF's 2023 opponents, UCLA (2), Florida (3), Oklahoma State (5), Georgia (10), Alabama (12), Duke (19), Louisiana (22) and Missouri (23) were ranked in ESPN/USA Softball's updated rankings, while UCLA (2), Florida (3), Oklahoma State (5), Georgia (9), Alabama (15), Duke (17), Louisiana (20), Texas A&M (24), and Missouri (25) were ranked by Softball America.

D1Softball pegged UCLA (2), Florida (3), Oklahoma State (5), Georgia (8), Alabama (12), Duke (20), and Louisiana (21) within its top 25 rankings as well.