Gators Picked to Win SEC Title
Thursday, January 29, 2015 | Softball
Birmingham, Ala. – The University of Florida softball team will open the 2015 season as the favorite to win its fifth Southeastern Conference regular-season championship, according to the preseason coaches' poll released Thursday by the league office. Florida received 11 first-place votes from the SEC's 13 head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
The Gators finished in a tie for third in the SEC last season and went on to win their first national title by taking two games from league rival Alabama in the finals of the Women's College World Series. The Orange and Blue returns 14 letterwinners from last season and will debut a class of six freshmen. In its history, Florida owns four regular-season SEC crowns (1998, 2008, '09, '13) and three conference tournament championships ('08, '09, '13).
Delanie Gourley and Florida are the preseason SEC favorites. (Photo: Jim Burgess)
Head Coach Tim Walton's 10th Gator team carries the No. 1 ranking in the preseason polls from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and USA Softball. Florida begins its season Feb. 6 at the USF Softball Classic in Tampa, and the home opener is slated for Feb. 13. Conference play starts March 13 against LSU, which will host the SEC Tournament May 6-9. UF's full 2015 schedule is available on GatorZone.com.
2015 SEC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
| Place | School | Points |
| 1. | FLORIDA (11) | 143 |
| 2. | Alabama | 120 |
| 3. | Kentucky (1) | 115 |
| 4. | LSU | 103 |
| 5. | Georgia (1) | 102 |
| 6. | Missouri | 98 |
| 7. | Auburn | 85 |
| 8. | Tennessee | 76 |
| 9. | Texas A&M | 48 |
| 10. | South Carolina | 46 |
| 11. | Mississippi State | 42 |
| 12. | Arkansas | 21 |
| 13. | Ole Miss | 15 |
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