U-M Receives Second Top-10 Preseason Ranking of 2015
1/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The University of Michigan softball team earned its second No. 8 preseason ranking of 2015 on Tuesday (Jan. 27), with the release of the ESPN/USA Softball poll.
The Wolverines were previously slotted at No. 8 in the USA Today/NFCA poll as well (Jan. 20).
The reigning Big Ten champs received 367 points in the first poll of the season. The Wolverines will start the season between No. 7 Kentucky and No. 9 Louisiana-Lafayette. Florida is ranked No. 1 and is the defending national champion.
The two national polls have the exact same top-5: following Florida is Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma and Florida State. The only deviation among top-10 teams is that Georgia is No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll, while Baylor holds that spot in the USA Today/NFCA rankings.
The Wolverines are the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten. This marks the second consecutive year that U-M has been ranked in the top-10 to start the season.
Head coach Carol Hutchins enters her 31st season guiding the Maize and Blue. She has led Michigan to a record seven straight Big Ten titles. U-M returns 14 letterwinners this season and adds six talented freshman to this year's squad.
Junior All-America shortstop Sierra Romero headlines the returners along second team All-America pitcher Haylie Wagner. Wagner, a southpaw, will team with fellow senior Sara Driesenga and sophomore Megan Betsa to form a formidable pitching corps. Romero, Wagner and Betsa all received All-Big Ten honors in 2014, along with catcher Lauren Sweet (second team) and infielder Abby Ramirez (all-defensive team).
The 2014 Wolverines won a regional title and reached the Super Regionals. It marked the ninth time in 10 years that U-M made it to the Supers since the format began in 2005.
U-M opens the season against the No. 1-Florida Gators on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Tampa, Florida.
ESPN/USA Softball Division I Softball Poll - Preseason
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Florida |
| 2 | Oregon |
| 3 | Alabama |
| 4 | Oklahoma |
| 5 | Florida State |
| 6 | UCLA |
| 7 | Kentucky |
| 8 | MICHIGAN |
| 9 | Louisiana-Lafayette |
| 10 | Georgia |
| 11 | Baylor |
| 12 | Arizona |
| 13 | Washington |
| 14 | Tennessee |
| 15 | Minnesota |
| 16 | Arizona State |
| 17 | Missouri |
| 18 | LSU |
| 19 | Auburn |
| 20 | Nebraska |
| 21 | Notre Dame |
| 22 | Tulsa |
| 23 | South Alabama |
| 24 | Texas A&M |
| 25 | Texas |
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