March 31, 1999

Michigan Climbs to No. 7 in National Coaches Poll

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- As its unbeaten streak grows, the national ranking of the University of Michigan softball team continues to inch closer to the top five. The Wolverines (25-5-1) moved up one position to No. 7 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll released today (March 31).

Michigan, which carries a 21-game unbeaten streak into its Wednesday (March 31) doubleheader at Eastern Michigan University, is looking to complete its March schedule unbeaten.

The Wolverines remain among the nation's top 10 teams for the fifth straight week. Michigan is joined by Big Ten Conference rivals Iowa (No. 20) and Minnesota (No. 23) among the nation's top 25 teams. Michigan State is among teams receiving votes in this week's poll.

After its EMU set, Michigan opens defense of its Big Ten season title with a three-game series at Ohio State Saturday and Sunday (April 3-4).

USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll (3/31/99)

     Team                    Record   Pts   LW
  1. UCLA (25)                33-0    625    1
  2. Arizona                  30-4    600    2
  3. Fresno State             33-7    562    4
  4. Washington               24-6    527    5
  5. Southwestern Louisiana   31-5    516    6
  6. Arizona State            30-8    485    3
  7. MICHIGAN                 25-5-1  438    8
  8. Oklahoma                 28-9    429    9
  9. Stanford                 26-7    425    7
 10. South Carolina           31-8    400   10
 11. Louisiana State          25-5    381   11
 12. Oregon State             27-10   342   12
 13. Oregon                   27-10   291   16
 14. California               27-8    283   13
 15. Texas                    24-12   260   14
 16. Illinois-Chicago         42-13   243   15
 17. Southern Mississippi     34-5    230   19
 18. Texas A&M                31-8    182   23
 19. South Florida            33-13   171   20
 20. Iowa                     22-9-1  157   17
 21. New Mexico               29-8    123   22
 22. Massachusetts            15-7    106   21
 23. Minnesota                22-7    103   18
 24. DePaul                   19-10    74   24
 25. Missouri                 26-12    36   NR
 
 Records through March 28
Contacts: Amy Carlton, Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423

Last updated: Wednesday, 31-Mar-1999 22:01:17 EST


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