Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma softball: Sooners again ranked in preseason top five

By Chip Rouse

CHIBA, JAPAN - AUGUST 10: Monica Cecilia Abbott #14 of United States pitches against Australia during their Playoff Round at ZOZO Marine Stadium on day nine of the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship on August 10, 2018 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
CHIBA, JAPAN - AUGUST 10: Monica Cecilia Abbott #14 of United States pitches against Australia during their Playoff Round at ZOZO Marine Stadium on day nine of the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship on August 10, 2018 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /
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In the dead of winter, deep into the best time of year for college basketball, it is hard to imagine that we are just four days away from the season opener for Oklahoma softball.

The way things have been going lately for both the OU men’s and women’s basketball teams, it is easy to understand why some Sooner fans have already begun the mental transition to the start of spring football. After all, football will always trump basketball as far as fan interest in the Oklahoma Sooners.

I’m here to tell you, though, that there is also a pretty wide and wild following for OU softball. And with good reason. Oklahoma has won seven consecutive Big 12 titles and three national championships since 2013. The Sooners are ranked No. 4 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaches Poll. This is the ninth straight year Sooner softball has started the season in the top 10 of the NFCA preseason rankings.

The top five teams in the USA Today/NFCA 2019 Preseason Poll consist of No. 1 Florida State, UCLA, Washington, OU and Florida.

OU has been ranked in the top five of the NFCA Preseason Poll in six of the last seven years, tied with the Florida Gators for the most during that time span.

Only Arizona (21) and UCLA (20) have more top-10 appearances in the NFCA Preseason Poll than Oklahoma’s 19 appearances.

Oklahoma also holds down the No. 4 spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.

The Sooners’ 2019 season gets underway this weekend with a five-game slate at the Grand Canyon University Kickoff Tournament in Phoenix. OU will face Syracuse and Grand Canyon in a Friday doubleheader, and will play games against Charlotte, Syracuse and San Diego State on Saturday.

Oklahoma owns four national championships in softball, including back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, and last season made its 12th appearance in the Women’s College World Series, which is played every season in Oklahoma City.

The 2019 OU roster includes First-Team All-Americans Sydney Romero and Jocelyn Alo, as well as three-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree Shay Knighten, the Most Outstanding Player in the 2017 Women’s College World Series.

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