Oklahoma State Cowgirls Unanimously Ranked Heading into 2026 Season
(Robert Allen of Pokes Report contributed to this story.)
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team will open the season as a unanimous Top 25 team after a No. 24 ranking in the NFCA/GoRout DI Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll, it was announced today. That ranking improves by one where the Cowgirls were ranked in last season’s final poll in the NFCA as they finished No. 25.
The Cowgirls slot in at No. 19 in both the D1Softball and Softball America preseason Top 25 polls. OSU came in at No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate Preseason Top 25.
This marks the ninth consecutive season that head coach Kenny Gajewski and his squad will begin the year ranked inside the Top 25. OSU has been ranked inside the Top 25 of the NFCA poll in each of its last 387 games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
Below is a look at where the Cowgirls and other Big 12 rivals rank in the three major college softball polls. Yes, we know Texas is not in the Big 12, but we did put the No. 1 team from each poll and Texas and Texas Tech were tied in the coaches poll.
| NFCA/Go Rout D1 | D1 Softball | ESPN/USA Today Top 25 |
| 1. Texas | 1. Texas | 1. Texas Tech/Texas |
| 2. Texas Tech | 2. Texas Tech | 18. Arizona |
| 17. Arizona | 19. Oklahoma State | 20. Oklahoma State |
| 24. Oklahoma State | 21. Arizona | RV: Arizona State and BYU |
The Cowgirls return two-time NFCA All-American Ruby Meylan and 2025 NFCA All-Region honorees Rosie Davis, Tia Warsop, Karli Godwin and Amanda Hasler, along with welcoming 11 newcomers to the mix. Gajewski and Co. brought in a talented freshman class to go with transfers Kaya Booker (Georgia Tech), Jayden Jones (Virginia Tech) and Melina Wilkison (Indiana/Ohio State).
The Pokes open the season against Stanford at 8 p.m. CT on February 5 in Palo Alto, Calif.
