Jan. 24, 2012
SAN DIEGO -
USA Today/NFCA Poll | ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll
The San Diego State softball team is receiving votes in both major preseason national polls, which were announced Tuesday.
In the USA Today/NFCA poll, the Aztecs have six votes, the 34th-most in the nation. Louisville is 25th in the poll with 32 votes. SDSU is scheduled to play 10 games against eight teams in the top 20 alone, including eighth-ranked Arizona and No. 16 Oregon twice. Overall, San Diego State will play 16 games against 14 foes that are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll.
The Aztecs also have six votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, which ties them for 31st in the country with DePaul and Texas Tech. Notre Dame is the preseason No. 25 team with 40 votes.
Defending national champion Arizona State is the preseason favorite in both polls.
San Diego State begins its 2012 campaign on the road for the fifth straight year when it travels to Tempe, Ariz., to compete in Arizona State's Kajikawa Classic from Feb. 9-12. Five of the Aztecs' six games at the Classic will be against 2011 NCAA tournament teams, including (rv/rv) Texas Tech (Feb. 9), Portland State (Feb. 10), (14/9) Tennessee (Feb. 11), (rv/23) Georgia Tech (Feb. 11) and (16/11) Oregon (Feb. 12). Former MW opponent and new Pac-12 member Utah (Feb. 10) is the other game for SDSU in Tempe.