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Softball ranked 33rd in Preseason Poll
Hokies earn first ever preseason votes
January 27, 2000

The Virginia Tech softball team received 18 points in the USA Today/NFCA Division I preseason softball poll, placing the Hokies in a tie for 33rd place. This marks the first time in Tech's five-year history it will start the season with a preseason ranking.

"It's a great honor to be recognized before the season starts," head coach Scot Thomas said, "but you have to keep in mind that it is the preseason poll. The ranking won't mean anything unless we go out and prove ourselves worthy on the field. Where we are ranked at the end of the season is far more important than where we are ranked before we play a game."

UCLA is the preseason No. 1, according to the poll which was released Wednesday. Atlantic 10 rival Massachusetts is ranked No. 16.

The Hokies are coming off a 54-16 season and return 14 letterwinners and eight starters. Tech will open its season on Feb. 18, taking on Ball State in the opening game of the UNC/Triangle Classic in Raleigh, N.C.

USA TODAY/NFCA Division I Top 25
Preseason ranking

The USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaches Top 25 is voted on by 27 Division I softball coaches, representing all areas of the USA. First-place votes are in parentheses. Records are from the 1999 season.

    Team (1st-place)    Pts.  Record
 1. UCLA (25)           673   63-6
 2. Washington (1)      638   51-18
 3. Fresno State (1)    602   65-10
 4. Arizona             587   53-16
 5. So. Mississippi     518   52-9
 6. Michigan            475   51-13-1
 7. LSU                 451   55-10
 8. Oklahoma            434   40-16
 9. Arizona State       408   41-29
10. La.-Lafayette       399   54-11
11. Oregon State        369   47-25
12. California          315   51-22
13. Nebraska            294   35-21
14. DePaul              281   54-14
15. Long Beach St.      280   34-21
16. Massachusetts       230   43-10
17. Michigan State      217   41-23
18. South Carolina      198   49-21
19. Texas               188   45-17
20. Hawaii              178   35-23
21. Stanford            158   40-25
22. Illinois-Chicago    149   67-17
23. Central Michigan    116   41-18
24. Missouri             98   41-21
25. Iowa                 80   41-26-1
Others receiving votes: Cal St. Fullerton (64), Maryland (55), Hofstra (47), Oregon (41), Alabama (35), Pacific (33), Texas Tech (24), Texas A&M (18), Virginia Tech (18), Boston College (16), Minnesota (16), Florida Atlantic (15), South Florida (13), Florida St. (12), Kansas (11), New Mexico (7), Arkansas (5), Mississippi St. (4), Penn St. (3), Cal St. Northridge (1), Notre Dame (1).