Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Ranked #24 In NFCA/USA Today Top 25 Poll
01/26/2005 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Jan. 26, 2005
By Lou Antoine
SIUSalukis.com
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Saluki softball program accomplished another first today, when the Salukis were ranked #24 in the 2005 NFCA/USA Today Top 25 Preseason Poll on Wednesday, claiming spots in both Top 25 preseason polls (Tied for #23 in ESPN.com/USA Softball on Tuesday) for the first time in school history, and earning the third overall preseason ranking (#24 NFCA in 2004) at Southern Illinois.
"It's nice that both national polls recognize us. We're in a supposed mid-major conference according to many national people, so it's nice when they recognize you, even though I don't feel that we are a mid-major program. I feel like we can play with the best teams," said Kerri Blaylock, SIU head coach.
Blaylock's primary concern is that her team plays up to the level of both polls when the season opens just more than two weeks from Saturday.
"As I said yesterday, it's nice that they recognize you, but you still have to prove it on the field. Again, I'm really happy for the kids and it's great for them to be able to tell their family and friends. I think for the program overall, it's really nice that people respect us that much to vote us into both polls. What I hope is that we come out and play like a Top 25 team," added Blaylock.
California, who was ranked #1 in yesterday's ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, collected 14 first place votes to earn the top spot in today's NFCA/USA Today Top 25 poll. The Bears have finished second to two-time defending champion UCLA, who claimed 12 first place votes, claiming the second spot.
Arizona (4 votes), Oklahoma, LSU, Stanford, Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida State follow California and UCLA in the top ten.
Following the NFCA/USA Today rankings, SIU faces four Top 25 teams, featuring #1 California on Friday, February 18 at the UNLV Rebel Tournament, #8 Michigan (Feb. 26), #22 Illinois in a doubleheader at West Stadium on April 26 and #23 Georgia Tech (Feb. 25) at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Salukis will play at #10 Florida State's Invitational on March 11-13, possibly facing the Seminoles.
The Salukis are coming off a record-breaking season that included a school-record 45 wins (45-17), the first back-to-back NCAA appearances in school history, and a third place finish at the NCAA Region VII Tournament in 2004. SIU went 3-2 for the second straight year at the NCAA Tournament and earned their second straight Top 25 final season ranking (#24 in 2003).
For the second straight year, Southern Illinois opens the 2005 spring season at the Ole Miss Rebel Classic on Feb. 12-13 in Oxford, Miss. with games against Ball State, Southern Mississippi, Mississippi and Tennessee-Martin.
For a look at the complete polls, fans can click on the following links:
NFCA/USA Today Top 25 poll: http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1
ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll: http://www.usasoftball.com/pressReleases/collegecorner/NCAAPoll/2005Poll/top25preseason.html
