Alabama Predicted to Win SEC Softball Title
By: Josh Rultenberg
Updated: January 28, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
- The Alabama Crimson Tide have been predicted to win the 2013
Southeastern Conference softball title by the league coaches in the
annual SEC
preseason poll. The Tide finished 60-8 a year ago and claimed the first
national title in league history in 2012. Alabama led the way with eight
of out of 13 possible votes followed by the Tennessee Lady Vols with
five. The Tide are also ranked No. 1 in the
preseason USA Today/NFCA poll.
LSU,
coming off the program's third Women's College World Series appearance,
was picked second in the Western Division with 28 points. Texas A&M
was predicted to finish
third with 31 points, followed by Arkansas with 51 points. Mississippi
State tallied 56 points for a fifth-place vote in the division while
Auburn earned 63 points for sixth-place. The Ole Miss Rebels were tabbed
seventh with 74 points.
Tennessee
was picked first in the Eastern Division with 12 points. The Lady Vols
are the second-highest ranked SEC team in the preseason USA Today/NFCApoll
at
No. 6. Missouri was predicted to finish second in the East with 30
points while Georgia was tabbed third with 34 points. Rounding out the
Eastern Division standings are Florida with 38 points, Kentucky with 58
points and South Carolina with 65 points.
Points
for the poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6 basis for the Eastern
Division and a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 basis for the Western Division. Coaches
were not allowed to vote
for their own team.
The
league will begin softball action on February 7 while conference play
starts March 8. The 2013 SEC Softball Tournament will be held May 8-11
in Lexington, Ky.
at the UK Softball Complex.
Conference Champion: Alabama (8), Tennessee (5)
Eastern Division:
1. Tennessee (12 points)
2. Missouri (30 points)
3. Georgia (34 points)
4. Florida (38 points)
5. Kentucky (58 points)
6. South Carolina (65 points)
Western Division:
1. Alabama (12 points)
2. LSU (28 points)
3. Texas A&M (31 points)
4. Arkansas (51 points)
5. Mississippi State (56 points)
6. Auburn (63 points)
7. Ole Miss (74 points)
