Razorbacks Ranked No. 13 in Softball America Preseason Top 25 Poll

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas softball checked in at No. 13 in the Softball America Preseason Top 25 Poll that was released on Monday morning.

The Razorbacks are one of 10 SEC programs to garner a spot in the poll, the most by any conference, followed by the ACC and Big Ten, which have five teams apiece.  

The No. 13 ranking marks the fourth consecutive year Arkansas has posted a top-15 preseason ranking in the Softball America Preseason Top 25 poll after previous rankings of No. 8 (2024), No. 7 (2023), and No. 10 (2022).

Arkansas opens the 2025 campaign in San Marcos, Texas, at the Texas State Tournament (Feb. 6-8). The Razorbacks will face tournament host Texas State on Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. in the season opener. Arkansas will then return the following day to face Lipscomb (1:15 p.m.) and Bradley (3:30 p.m.) before concluding the tournament slate with Bradley (10 a.m.) and San Deigo (12:30 p.m.) on Feb. 8.

The Razorbacks have won two of the last four regular season SEC titles. They are coming off a 37-18 mark in 2024, which featured their seventh-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2024 and fifth national seed, all of which have come under head coach Courtney Deifel’s guidance.

Arkansas returns 262 total starts from a year ago, headlined by junior left-handed pitcher Robyn Herron (19 starts, 1.62 ERA, 12-9, 143 K), senior first baseman Bri Ellis (55 starts, .322 avg., 14 HR, 47 RBI, .444 OBP) and junior center fielder Reagan Johnson (55 starts, .380 avg., 73 H, 12 SB, 35 R, .426 OBP).

The Softball America Preseason Poll is among four nationally recognized polls in DI College Softball. The USA Today/ESPN, D1 Softball (Jan. 21), D1 Softball (Jan. 21) and NFCA GoRout D1 Coaches (Jan. 28) preseason polls will all be unveiled at later dates.