OSU Softball Ranked Unanimous Preseason Top Three Team

STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team is No. 3 in the USA Today/NFCA DI Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, marking the Cowgirls’ fifth top-three ranking of the 2023 preseason.

The Cowgirls No. 3 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA DI Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll ties the highest preseason spot granted by the NFCA poll in program history, which they have received twice before:

• 1989 – No. 3
• 1991 – No. 5
• 1994 – No. 3
• 2022 – No. 5
• 2023 – No. 3

The mark rounds out a handful of top-three preseason rankings Oklahoma state has garnered ahead of the 2023 season. A look at the full list of the Cowgirls' preseason rankings:

• No. 2 in the Softball America Preseason College Top 25
• No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll
• No. 3 in the D1Softball Preseason Top 25
• No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Collegiate Top 25
• No. 3 in the USA Today/NFCA DI Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll

The 2022 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s DI Conferences.

The Cowgirls have advanced to each of the last three Women's College World Series and return six starters – including All-Americans Kelly Maxwell and Katelynn Carwile – from last year's team that advanced to OKC and finished the 2022 season ranked third in the nation.

The 2023 preseason rankings are further validation of how the Cowgirls have earned a spot among the sport's elite in recent years.

Oklahoma State joins Arizona, Oklahoma and UCLA as the only teams to appear in each of the last three Women's College World Series.

Including the last three seasons, Oklahoma State now has 14 Women's College World Series appearances all-time; only UCLA, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arizona State and Cal have more.

Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 25 of the NFCA poll in each of its last 203 games played.

Oklahoma State's 32-12 record (72.7%) is second in the Big 12 Conference over the last three seasons, trailing only Oklahoma. The Cowgirls have finished no lower than third in the Big 12 standings in each of the last six seasons.

The Cowgirls open the season February 10 when they take on Oregon at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

USA Today/NFCA DI Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll

1. Oklahoma
2. UCLA
3. Oklahoma State
4. Florida
5. Florida State
6. Texas
7. Arkansas
8. Northwestern
9. Alabama
10. Clemson
11. Virginia Tech
12. Arizona
13. Tennessee
14. Washington
15. Georgia
16. Duke
17. Stanford
18. UCF
19. Oregon State
20. Kentucky
21. Auburn
22. Arizona State
23. Mississippi State
24. Oregon
25. LSU