BLACKSBURG - A day after being picked to win the conference title in a preseason coaches poll for the first time in program history, the Virginia Tech softball team took a bigger step into un-chartered territory Wednesday when the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll was released. The Hokies will enter the season ranked 16^th in the country, marking the first time in program history they have been ranked in the preseason.

Two-time defending national champion Arizona is the runaway preseason favorite, earning 27 of 29 first-place votes. Tech is scheduled to face five teams ranked in the preseason poll at some point during the season. Those are: No. 1 Arizona, No. 7 Northwestern, No. 14 UCLA, No. 17 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Missouri.

Also on the schedule and receiving votes are: No. 26 Houston, No. 33 Florida State, No. 36 NC State, No. 43 North Carolina and No. 45 South Florida.

The Hokies, who went 49-16 last year en route to an ACC title and third-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, finished last year ranked 17^th in the country in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25.

The USA Softball/ESPN.com Preseason Top 25 will be released on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Tech will open its season on Feb. 8 at the FIU Invitational in Miami, Fla., against Pittsburgh and No. 25 Missouri.