The initial softball RPI rankings of the 2025 season were released on Monday, and it looks nothing like what you’ll find in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25.
For example, the No. 1 team in last week’s USA Softball Poll, Oklahoma, checks in at No. 26 in the RPI. The RPI, or Rating Percentage Index, is a formula used to rank softball teams on two key factors: strength of schedule and their win-loss record.
Oklahoma has played a very weak schedule compared to some of the other teams in softball right now, but since they’re 19-0, they’re still getting some respect. Meanwhile, Auburn has played a pretty tough schedule ahead of nonconference, and at 19-1, their combined SOS and record make them the No. 1 team in RPI.
RPI will be key in a couple of months when the selection committee starts filling out the NCAA Tournament Bracket, and a look at today’s standings might give us a sneak peek at what teams we need to keep an eye on going forward.
But, how does the Big 12 stack up against the rest of the country in this statistic? Does it have any clear front-runners, and how many teams rank among the top teams in the sport? Let’s take a look, plus where each team ranks in some of the other polls and ratings.
Big 12 Softball RPI Rankings (March 3, 2025)
| RPI Rank | Team | Record | Massey Rating | Top 25 Poll (SA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | Arizona | 21-2 | #6 | #4 |
| #11 | Oklahoma State | 14-4 | #14 | #13 |
| #17 | Texas Tech | 18-6 | #25 | #16 |
| #21 | Houston | 14-5 | #53 | — |
| #23 | UCF | 17-7 | #35 | — |
| #40 | Arizona State | 15-6 | #34 | — |
| #50 | BYU | 14-4 | #36 | — |
| #63 | Kansas | 9-7 | #45 | — |
| #66 | Baylor | 10-10 | #49 | — |
| #111 | Iowa State | 9-9 | #92 | — |
| #157 | Utah | 6-15 | #75 | — |
Arizona Way Out Front
One of the biggest takeaways from the initial RPI rankings is how far ahead of the rest of the Big 12 Arizona is at the moment. The Wildcats are coming off a monumental weekend that included a 9-8 (10 inn.) win over fourth-ranked UCLA and an 11-3 run-rule victory over No. 23 San Diego State.
The Wildcats outscored opponents 52-16 over the weekend and enter Big 12 play as the team to beat.
What is Texas Tech?
At its best, Texas Tech is an explosive, power-hitting team that has the best pitcher in softball in the circle and a hard out for anyone in a single-game series. At worst, the Red Raiders are capable of dropping back-to-back games against North Texas and Idaho State.
This past week, we saw just how difficult it is to predict what version of Texas Tech will show up on the field. TTU looked like anything but a title contender in mid-week games against the Mean Green and Bengals, but their 7-2 win over fifth-ranked Texas A&M showed what this team can do. They’ll have to find some consistency down the stretch, and if they do, the Red Raiders are a force to be reckoned with. However, the No. 17 rank in RPI and No. 25 spot in the Massey Rating feels about right.
Is It Time to Start Paying Attention to Houston?
I’ve been rather quick to write Houston off as anything more than they were a season ago—an early-season paper tiger that folded as soon as Big 12 play began. However, the Coogs proved me wrong this weekend with two wins over a Boise State team that was receiving votes in last week’s polls.
The combined scores in their matchups were 24-19, so my concerns with the pitching still stand, but it appears that I might’ve been too fast to count UH out of the Big 12 race. Still, the disparity between the RPI (#21) and the Massey Rating (#53) says to proceed with caution.
Are Iowa State and Utah Really That Far Behind?
It appears that the Big 12 has some well-defined tiers heading into league play, and the tandem of Iowa State and Utah are the only teams hanging out in the “cellar-dweller” category in 2025.
Both the Cyclones and Utes rank in the triple digits of the RPI, and they are well behind the rest of the Big 12 in the Massey Rating, which has the rest of the league inside the top 50. It’s still very early in the season, but if we look up at the end of the year and Iowa State and Utah are way behind in the standings, it wouldn’t be all that surprising considering what we’ve seen to this point.
