Jan. 25, 2011

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Poll | USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll

Bronx, N.Y. - Preseason accolades for the Fordham softball team continued today with the release of the preseason Top 25 softball polls for 2011. The Rams are receiving votes in both the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Poll and the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll.

It marks the second time Fordham has received votes in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll, while being the first time in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.

Fordham, who received votes in both polls for the majority of the 2010 season, is the top team in the receiving votes category in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25, getting 41 votes. The Rams trail the top 25 by 15 votes. Illinois and Ohio State are tied for 24th with 56 votes.

Last week, ESPN.com blogger Graham Hays had Fordham 18th in his preseason poll.

In the USA Today/NFCA poll, Fordham is receiving 13 votes, trailing #25 North Carolina by 38 votes. The Rams also trail Fresno St. (31), Hofstra (29), and Florida State (22) in the receiving votes category.

Overall, a total of 14 teams in either preseason top 25 poll are opponents on the 2011 Fordham softball schedule. The list includes:

(ESPN.com/USA Softball Rank followed by USA Today/NFCA Rank)
#3/6 Alabama
#11/10 Washington
#15/15 Texas
#16/19 LSU
#17/18 Georgia Tech
#T24/24 Illinois
RV/#25 North Carolina
RV/RV Massachusetts
RV/RV Notre Dame
RV/RV DePaul
RV/RV Hofstra
RV/-- Syracuse
RV/-- Maryland
--/RV Illinois St.

Fordham opens the softball season when they face #17/18 Georgia Tech as part of the Dot Richardson College Classic in Clermont, Florida on February 12th.