SEC Coaches Pick Alabama Softball to Finish ... Fourth?
If the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team needed any more motivation for the upcoming 2023 season, it was delivered on Thursday.
The annual preseason poll by the league's head coaches was released and the Crimson Tide was picked to finish ... fourth.
Alabama finished second to Arkansas last season during the SEC regular season, and was upset in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Seeded sixth in the NCAA Tournament, the Crimson Tide (44-13) did not make the Super Regionals for the first time in program history as Stanford ended its season early.
But fourth?
The only preseason rankings out so far, the DI preseason Top 25, has Patrick Murphy's team at No. 6 in the nation, right behind Florida at No. 5.
We'll have to wait and see what the Crimson Tide thinks about the snubbing. SEC teams are slated to begin the 2023 softball season on February 9, with conference play set to begin on Friday, March 10.
Specific to the SEC coaches' poll, the Gators received five first-place votes and 134 points to lead the preseason poll.
Tennessee garnered three first-place votes and 126 points to finish in second place.
Arkansas, the defending SEC Champion, earned five first-place votes and 122 points to take third place.
Alabama tallied 118 points to place fourth, and LSU rounded out the top five with 87 points.
Points were compiled on a descending basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The 2023 SEC Softball Tournament is scheduled for May 9-13 at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Ark.
SEC Preseason Softball Poll
- Florida (5) 134
- Tennessee (3) 126
- Arkansas 122
- Alabama 118
- LSU 87
- Georgia 85
- Kentucky 84
- Missouri 63
- Auburn 61
- Ole Miss 49
- Mississippi State 44
- Texas A&M 28
- South Carolina 13
See Also:
Inside Alabama Softball's Busy Offseason
Outfielder Faith Hensley Explains Why She Transferred to Alabama
