ORLANDO – After it authored a 4-2 week with two wins over SEC programs, including then-No. 10 LSU, the UCF softball team jumped into a national top 25 poll for the first time this season.
The Knights, now ranked No. 25 in the nation in Softball America’s Feb. 16 weekly top 25, jump back into the national rankings for the first time since the program earned the highest-ranked series win in program history over then-No. 4 Arizona on the road March 7-9, 2025.
UCF is joined by fellow Big 12 programs Texas Tech (No. 2), Arizona (No. 16), Oklahoma State (No. 22) and Arizona State (No. 24) in Softball America’s latest poll, and see 2026 opponents Florida (No. 8), Georgia (No. 9), Nebraska (No. 10), Duke (No. 17) and LSU (No. 20) featured as well.
At 9-3, the Knights are off to their best 12-game start to a season since the 2021 team began the spring 10-2, and most recently produced a winning record in the Clearwater Invitational for the first time in program history, besting Northwestern, 6-4, then-No. 10 LSU, 5-1, and NC State, 6-2.
The complete Softball America week three poll can be found below.
| Rank | Team | Record | Week 2 Record | Last Week |
| 1 | Tennessee | 10-0 | 5-0 | 2 |
| 2 | Texas Tech * | 11-1 | 5-1 | 1 |
| 3 | Texas | 9-1 | 5-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 8-1 | 5-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Florida State | 8-2 | 3-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Alabama | 9-0 | 4-0 | 8 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 8-1 | 4-0 | 9 |
| 8 | Florida * | 12-0 | 7-0 | 7 |
| 9 | Georgia * | 9-2 | 5-1 | 19 |
| 10 | Nebraska * | 6-4 | 3-2 | 13 |
| 11 | Stanford | 8-1 | 3-1 | 12 |
| 12 | UCLA | 7-3 | 2-3 | 6 |
| 13 | Mississippi State | 10-0 | 6-0 | 18 |
| 14 | Texas A&M | 7-3 | 3-2 | 11 |
| 15 | Oregon | 5-4 | 3-1 | 14 |
| 16 | Arizona | 8-3 | 5-1 | 15 |
| 17 | Duke * | 7-3 | 3-2 | 22 |
| 18 | Virginia Tech | 7-2 | 2-2 | 16 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 7-2 | 4-0 | 20 |
| 20 | LSU * | 7-4 | 1-4 | 10 |
| 21 | Virginia | 7-1 | 3-0 | 21 |
| 22 | Oklahoma State * | 6-4 | 3-2 | 25 |
| 23 | Washington | 7-3 | 5-0 | 24 |
| 24 | Arizona State * | 10-1 | 6-0 | NR |
| 25 | UCF | 9-3 | 4-2 | NR |
* Denotes UCF 2026 Opponent
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.