A successful run to the program’s first national title at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., helped Florida (55-12) complete the 2014 campaign as the unanimous choice for No. 1 in the final USA Today/NFCA Division I softball poll.

The Gators recorded a 10-1 mark on the road to their initial NCAA Division I crown, wrapping things up via a sweep of No. 2 Alabama (53-13) in the first-ever All-Southeastern Conference WCWS Championship Series by scores of 5-0 and 6-3. The second-ranked Crimson Tide had run off eight consecutive victories in NCAA tournament play before dropping the two title match-ups against rival Florida.

Having completed the 2014 regular season on a run of six consecutive weeks at No. 1, Oregon (56-9-1) fell two spots to third in the final poll after the Ducks’ WCWS run ended in the semifinals against ‘Bama.

The remainder of the top eight consisted of WCWS participants No. 4 Baylor (49-16), No. 5 Oklahoma (51-13), No. 6 Kentucky (50-19), No. 7 Florida State (55-9) and No. 8 Louisiana-Lafayette (49-10-1). Of that group, the fourth-ranked Bears (rose from 17th), the fifth-rated Sooners (up from 12th) and the sixth-ranked Wildcats (rose from 15th) made the largest positive moves from the final regular season listing.

UCLA (52-8) plummeted from second to ninth after losing the final two games of its best-of three series against Kentucky in the Los Angeles Super Regional. Michigan (47-15) advanced three slots to 10th after a thrilling run through the Tempe Regional (eliminated then-No. 4 Arizona State) and a two-games-to-one defeat versus seventh-rated FSU in the Tallahassee Super Regional.

USC Upstate (46-9) and James Madison (45-15) fell out of the final rankings, allowing for the entrances of No. 24 DePaul (44-11) and No. 25 Texas A&M (37-22).

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference.

Final 2014 records are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.

 

USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Poll – Final – June 10, 2014

 

Rank	Team	2014 Record	Totals	Last Poll Rank
1	Florida (32)	55-12	800	6
2	Alabama	53-13	767	5
3	Oregon	56-9-1	735	1
4	Baylor	49-16	670	17
5	Oklahoma	51-13	651	12
6	Kentucky	50-19	644	15
7	Florida State	55-9	609	3
8	Louisiana Lafayette	49-10-1	586	11
9	UCLA	52-8	523	2
10	Michigan	47-15	473	13
11	Washington	37-15	459	8
12	Tennessee	46-12	440	9
13	Georgia	49-15	425	7
14	Arizona	44-16	383	10
15	Minnesota	44-12	364	14
16	Nebraska	44-18	345	19
17	Arizona State	46-12-1	336	4
18	Tulsa	53-9	228	18
19	Missouri	43-18	207	16
20	Auburn	42-19-1	162	21
21	LSU	38-24	137	23
22	Notre Dame	41-13	127	20
23	South Alabama	42-14	107	22
24	DePaul	44-11	58	RV
25	Texas A&M	37-22	41	RV

 

Dropped Out:  No. 24 USC Upstate (46-9), No. 25 James Madison (45-15)

Others Receiving Votes:  USC Upstate (33), Wisconsin (23), James Madison (22), N.C. State (15), USF (12), UCF (9), Northwestern (5), Lipscomb (2), Hofstra (1), Kansas (1).