Razorbacks Occupy No. 13 Spot in USA Softball/ESPN Preseason Poll
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas softball has earned its third top-15 national preseason ranking, checking in at No. 13 in the USA Softball/ESPN Preseason Top 25 Poll.
The Razorbacks are one of 11 SEC programs to garner a spot in the poll, the most by any conference, followed by the Big Ten and ACC with five teams apiece.
The No. 13 ranking was the Hogs’ fourth consecutive top-15 ranking in the USA Softball/ESPN preseason poll. Arkansas was previously ranked 12th in 2024, sixth in 2023 and ninth in 2022. It marks the seventh consecutive season that the Razorbacks have appeared in the Top 25 of the USA Softball/ESPN Preseason Top 25 Poll.
Arkansas opens the 2025 campaign in San Marcos, Texas, at the Texas State Tournament (Feb. 6-8). The Razorbacks will face tournament host Texas State on Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. in the season opener. Arkansas will then return the following day to face Lipscomb (1:15 p.m.) and Bradley (3:30 p.m.) before concluding the tournament slate with Bradley (10 a.m.) and San Deigo (12:30 p.m.) on Feb. 8.
The Razorbacks have won two of the last four regular season SEC titles. They are coming off a 37-18 mark in 2024, which featured their seventh-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2024 and fifth national seed, all of which have come under head coach Courtney Deifel’s guidance.
Arkansas returns 262 total starts from a year ago, headlined by junior left-handed pitcher Robyn Herron (19 starts, 1.62 ERA, 12-9, 143 K), senior first baseman Bri Ellis (55 starts, .322 avg., 14 HR, 47 RBI, .444 OBP) and junior center fielder Reagan Johnson (55 starts, .380 avg., 73 H, 12 SB, 35 R, .426 OBP).
The USA Softball/ESPN Top 25 Poll is among four nationally recognized polls in DI College Softball. Arkansas was ranked No. 10 in the D1 Softball Preseason Poll this morning and was ranked No. 13 in the Softball America Preseason Top 25 poll on Jan. 13. The NFCA GoRout D1 Coaches Poll is the final nationally recognized poll to be released on Jan. 28.
