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Softball January 17, 2023 Ryan Ladika
Softball Ranked 15th Nationally in D1Softball Preseason Top 25
ORLANDO – A 2022 season that culminated in the first NCAA Super Regional berth in program history represented the latest step forward for a UCF softball team on the rise, and with the Knights' latest achievement comes heightened national recognition.
D1Softball.com released its preseason top 25 rankings Tuesday afternoon, a poll that saw the Knights land at No. 15 among all Division I softball programs in the country. UCF is also the lone representative from The American in the publication's preseason poll.
The Knights, along with the rest of the nation, will once again be chasing the reigning Women's College World Series champion Oklahoma Sooners, ranked No. 1, with UCLA, Oklahoma State, Florida State and Florida rounding out the top five.
Throughout their scheduled 2023 campaign, UCF will also square off against seven members of D1Softball.com's preseason top 25 in second-ranked UCLA, third-ranked Oklahoma State, fifth-ranked Florida, sixth-ranked Alabama, 10th-ranked Georgia, 20th-ranked Louisiana and 22nd-ranked Duke.
The ranking marked the highest of any non-Power Five school in the country and represents the latest progression for a team consistently setting and surpassing new standards. UCF began its 2022 slate picked to finish third in The American's preseason coaches poll and received votes in the first release of the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.
Upon the conclusion of their standout 49-win 2022 campaign, the Knights garnered the No. 13 national ranking from D1Softball.com, the highest of their four top-15 rankings from D1Softball.com, USA Today/NFCA Top 25 (14), Softball America (14), and ESPN/USA Softballl Top 25 (15).
The Knights in 2022 notched their winningest campaign since the team went 50-9 in 2015 with a 49-14 record overall, as well as a conference-best 16-2 mark in The American. En route to their team-best finish to the season, UCF clinched its third American Athletic Conference title, second American Athletic Conference Tournament championship, and ninth postseason appearance.
UCF made quick work of Villanova and Michigan in the Orlando regional, topping the Wildcats 6-0 before downing the Wolverines in consecutive games by 3-2 (11 innings) and 9-4 final scores.
The Knights then drew a matchup with the eventual-champion Sooners, falling in consecutive games in the NCAA Super Regionals at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Oklahoma.