Arizona, which had risen to No. 1 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 2 in the USA Today/NFCA ranking on the strength of a 40-1 overall record (the Wildcats' only loss coming to Florida State on February 25) ran into a buzzsaw in Salt Lake City this weekend. After Arizona won the opening meeting on Thursday, No. 16/14* Utah came back to take the series with wins on Friday and Saturday.
The Wildcats still lead the Pac 12 standings at 13-2, but the Utes (10-3) and No. 4/4 Oregon Ducks (10-4) are close in pursuit.
Things are similarly tight in the SEC. No. 3/3 Florida, which took two out of three from No. 22/21 Kentucky this weekend (losing the middle game Saturday), sits atop the league standings at 15-2.
No. 5/5 Texas A&M, which took two of three from No. --/24Arkansas, is one game behind the Gators in the loss column at 11-3. The same holds for No. 14/16 Tennessee, who is 10-3 at the moment, but is playing later tonight. Tennessee is hosting No. 10/9 Alabama in a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series. The Vols took Saturday's opener. (UPDATE: Tennessee moved to 11-3 in the SEC with a walk-off win over Bama on Sunday night.)
In the Big 12, No. 8/10 Oklahoma (9-0) leads No. 12/13 Baylor and Oklahoma State, both at 8-1.
No. 2/1 Florida State is running away with the ACC at 18-0. In other ACC news, Clemson will be adding softball, tentatively scheduled for 2020.
Finally, No. 6/6 Minnesota (11-1) leads a tight B1G race over No. 17/18 Michigan (11-2) and unranked Illinois (10-2).
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*The ESPN.com/USA Softball poll is listed first for schools with two rankings listed.
The Wildcats still lead the Pac 12 standings at 13-2, but the Utes (10-3) and No. 4/4 Oregon Ducks (10-4) are close in pursuit.
Things are similarly tight in the SEC. No. 3/3 Florida, which took two out of three from No. 22/21 Kentucky this weekend (losing the middle game Saturday), sits atop the league standings at 15-2.
No. 5/5 Texas A&M, which took two of three from No. --/24Arkansas, is one game behind the Gators in the loss column at 11-3. The same holds for No. 14/16 Tennessee, who is 10-3 at the moment, but is playing later tonight. Tennessee is hosting No. 10/9 Alabama in a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series. The Vols took Saturday's opener. (UPDATE: Tennessee moved to 11-3 in the SEC with a walk-off win over Bama on Sunday night.)
In the Big 12, No. 8/10 Oklahoma (9-0) leads No. 12/13 Baylor and Oklahoma State, both at 8-1.
No. 2/1 Florida State is running away with the ACC at 18-0. In other ACC news, Clemson will be adding softball, tentatively scheduled for 2020.
Finally, No. 6/6 Minnesota (11-1) leads a tight B1G race over No. 17/18 Michigan (11-2) and unranked Illinois (10-2).
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*The ESPN.com/USA Softball poll is listed first for schools with two rankings listed.