Gators Softball Ranked No. 10 in Softball America Preseason Poll

As the Division 1 softball season looms, Softball America has released their preseason top-25 rankings.

Softball America has the Gators debuting at No. 10 after a successful offseason. 

The Gators are coming off their 13th program trip to the Women’s College World Series, ending its season with a 48-17 record. 

Despite losing three All-Americans in Kendra Falby, Reagan Walsh and Korbe Otis to graduation, Florida brought back 10 players from last season. Key returners include Taylor Shumaker, a 2025 NFCA First Team All-American and NFCA Freshman of the Year, and Jocelyn Erickson, a two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner.

The Gators also brought in the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, trailing only TEAM. The 2026 class is headlined by Caroline Stanton, Softball America’s No. 1 recruit in America. Stanton will be joining the team early, but will be redshirted. Florida also added five transfers to the team.

The Gators will face seven teams ranked in the top 25 this season: No. 4 Tennessee, No. 6 Florida State, No. 7 Arkansas, No. 8 UCLA, No. 15 Georgia, No. 16 South Carolina and No. 21 Mississippi State.

In the coming weeks, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, ESPN/USA Softball and D1 Softball will release their rankings, with Softball America being the first major publication to release them.

Below is a complete rundown of Softball America’s top-25 rankings:

1. Texas Tech
2. Texas 
3. Oklahoma
4. Tennessee
5. Oregon
6. Florida State
7. Arkansas
8. UCLA
9. Clemson
10. Florida
11. Nebraska
12. LSU
13. Alabama
14. Texas A&M
15. Georgia
16. South Carolina
17. Arizona
18. Stanford
19. Oklahoma State
20. Duke
21. Mississippi State
22. Washington
23. Virginia
24. Virginia Tech
25. Ole Miss

Category: College Softball, Gators Softball