The 2023 NCAA softball schedule is in full swing as Division I teams from across the country begin their seasons on Feb. 9 with the goal of reaching Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series. 

And it’s fitting that the WCWS is played in the Sooner state. 

The state of Oklahoma is home to two of the top three teams in most polls, including the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, Oklahoma, which is just a short drive away from Oklahoma City. 

The Sooners lost just three games in 2023 (going 59-3 overall) and mauled the NCAA record book with a historic offensive showing, with the likes of Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings leading the lineup and one of the best freshmen in the country, Jordy Bahl, on the mound. 

Alo is gone, but Jennings and Bahl are still there as the Sooners seek a third-straight national title in 2023.

But Oklahoma State is No. 3 in the country and the Cowgirls want to play spoiler in all Bedlam-related things. After a 48-14 season, Oklahoma State is trying to snap a decades-long OU Softball Big 12 Championship reign.

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However, based on polls, the biggest threat to OU is the near-unanimous No. 2 team in the country and the program that pushed the 2022 Sooners to the brink of elimination in the WCWS. 

UCLA, with stars Megan Faramio, Sharlize Palacios and Maya Brady returning, are favorites to win the Pac-12.

Here’s a look at the 2023 preseason rankings. 

College Softball Rankings: USA Today & NFCA Coaches Poll

The 2023 USA Today Nation Fastpitch Coaches Association released their preseason rankings before the season. 

Here are the rankings: 

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

College Softball Rankings: D1 Softball Preseason Poll

Here are the D1 Softball preseason rankings: 

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

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College Softball Rankings: Softball America

Here are the Softball America rankings: 

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

College Softball Rankings: ESPN.com/ USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

Here’s the ESPN.com rankings: 

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

Which Conference Has The Best College Softball?

The Big 12 will start the season with two teams in the top three of the rankings, regardless of which poll you're viewing. But the conference also includes Texas, which is ranked in the top 10 in most polls. The Pac-12 has five to six teams in the top 25, but like baseball, it's the SEC that consistently has the most ranked teams.

The SEC features as many as nine teams in one poll.

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College Softball Schedule 2023: Preseason Tournaments With Ranked Teams

The college softball schedule is filled with tournaments featuring many of the preseason top 25 teams. The Mark Campbell Invitational features Oklahoma and Duke playing on the first day of the regular season, and in fact, Duke begins the year with two top 25 matchups, (Washington and Oklahoma). Stanford is also at the Mark Campbell. 

The Puerto Vallarta College Challenge the same weekend will have Oklahoma State and Oregon in the first weekend and Tennessee in the second weekend. 

THE Spring Games’ opening weekend also has Michigan. 

But it’s the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic to end February that has the most top 10 matchups based on preseason rankings. 

2023 Mary Nutter Schedule Is Loaded With Ranked Softball Teams

The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic is the premier softball event of the non-conference season. Here’s a list of top 25 matchups over the four days: 

• Washington vs. Kentucky: Day 1
• UCLA vs. Florida, Day  1
• Northwestern vs. Oregon: Day 2
• UCLA vs. Kentucky: Day 2
• Missouri vs. Oregon State: Day 2
• Florida vs. Oregon: Day 3
• UCLA vs. Northwestern: Day 3
• Kentucky vs. Northwestern: Day 3
• Oregon vs. Missouri: Day 3
• UCLA vs. Oklahoma: Day 4

FloSoftball Has You Covered This Month. Subscribe To Watch College Softball

FloSoftball will stream hundreds of softball games in February and will stream games at the Mark Campbell Invitational, Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, THE Spring Games and the Mary Nutter College Classic. 

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