Baylor Bears

Oklahoma Named Unanimous No. 1 in D1Softball Preseason Poll

By Bryan Clinton

Posted on January 16, 2024

The three-time defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners will enter the 2024 softball season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the D1Softball preseason top 25 poll.

D1Softball released their poll on Tuesday morning, with the Sooners taking the top spot after finishing 61-1 in 2023 and taking home their third consecutive national title.

Despite losing All-American pitcher Jordy Bahl, who transferred back to her home state to play for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Sooners are loaded once again and have retooled the pitching staff with several portal additions, including two-time All-American Kelly Maxwell out of Oklahoma State.

Texas cracked the top five of the poll as well, coming in at No. 5 after a contingent of young talent led them to a Super Regional appearance in 2023. Now, they’ll be one of the most dangerous teams in the country and will be one of Oklahoma’s primary challengers.

Oklahoma State checks in at No. 12 in the preseason poll after its fourth consecutive Women’s College World Series appearance, which made the Cowgirls the only other team besides OU to make a trip to OKC in each of the last four seasons.

Baylor is also among the nation’s top teams in the preseason poll, checking in at No. 16 after a 40-18 season in 2023. The Bears return several key players from last season, including Dariana Orme, Shaylon Govan, and Aliyah Binford, who is returning from injury.

Here’s a look at the entire poll, courtesy of D1Softball.