Michigan Listed No. 5 in Preseason Coaches Poll

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team readies to open its 1999 season in the same place it ended its 1998 season run -- listed fifth in the preseason USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll.

Defending national champion Fresno State is listed No. 1 in the preseason ranking and is followed by Arizona, UCLA, Washington and Michigan in the top five. Big Ten Conference members Iowa (No. 16) and Minnesota (No. 22) are also among the preseason Top 25.

Coming off a 56-7 season and a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Women's College World Series, Michigan begins its 1999 season at the Feb. 19-21 Louisville Slugger Classic in Gainesville, Fla. All-America first baseman Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) and a pair of All-Big Ten outfielders, Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) and Tammy Mika (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS), are among seven U-M returning starters.

USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll (Preseason 1999)

   1. Fresno State (20)     617
   2. Arizona (1)           588
   3. UCLA (4)              546
   4. Washington            529
   5. MICHIGAN              498
   6. South Florida         464
   7. Texas                 440
   8. Nebraska              428
   9. Lousiana State        370
  10. Massachusetts         362
  11. Oklahoma              332
      DePaul                332
  13. Long Beach State      318
  14. Stanford              305
  15. Oklahoma State        265
  16. Iowa                  236
  17. Hawaii                200
  18. Arizona State         180
  19. Alabama               163
  20. Florida               143
  21. Florida State         137
  22. Minnesota             107
  23. Hofstra                78
  24. Illinois-Chicago       67
  25. Oregon                 60

Last updated: Thursday, 28-Jan-1999 20:11:41 EST