For the first time in Western Athletic Conference softball history, four teams are ranked among the Top 40 in the country in a national preseason poll.
In today's preseason NFCA/USA Today Top 25 rankings, four WAC teams received recognition, setting the stage for what should be the the strongest season in conference history.
For the second time in four years, four WAC teams received poll votes by the NFCA. But this season marks the first time that all four were among the Top 40 teams listed.
Ten-time WAC softball champion Fresno State leads the way, landing at the No. 30 spot in today's poll. The Bulldogs continue an impressive streak, receiving votes in the national preseason coaches poll for a record 31st straight season.
Following closely behind Fresno State is Hawai'i, which begins the season ranked 32nd. A year ago, the Rainbow Wahine were the preseason No. 8 team in the NFCA rankings.
Tied for 39th place are a pair of WAC teams -- defending conference champion New Mexico State and Brigham Young, which will participate in the conference as an affiliate member this season only.
In some bad news for the WAC, three of the four teams that received poll recognition will be gone next season. Fresno State, Hawai'i and BYU (along with Nevada) will all leave the WAC after this season, leaving a monumental void.
Four seasons ago, the conference also had four teams ranked in the NFCA preseason poll. Fresno State was 14th, Nevada 23rd, Hawai'i 33rd and Louisiana Tech 44th that season.
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