MSU Softball Ranks No. 18 In Both National Polls
February 26, 2008 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ? The Mississippi State softball team ranks No. 18 nationally in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball top 25 polls which were released Tuesday.
The Bulldogs, who achieved their highest ranking ever a week ago, remain in the top 20 for the second straight week after moving to 13-2 overall following last weekend's Mercer Wingate Inn Classic in Macon, Ga. State fell three places in both polls after having its school second-best 11-game win streak snapped by a Western Kentucky squad who is receiving votes in both rankings.
"The polls are nice recognition for the work and effort that the players have put in this season, but we are more focused on getting better each week in preparation for the SEC season," MSU head coach Jay Miller said. "This weekend's Leadoff Classic will give us good preparation for the conference season which starts in a couple of weeks."
Mississippi State is one of six teams from the Southeastern Conference ranked in the top 20 in both national polls.
MSU opens this weekend's Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., Friday at 10 a.m. CST with N.C. State. The Bulldogs meet No. 11 Michigan later that day in a game set for a 12:30 p.m. CST start. State will face Syracuse and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. CST, respectively, before closing out the three-day event with Massachusetts Sunday at 11:30 a.m. CST.
