Nation-leading Pac-12 softball teams matchup in Conference play

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The nation-leading Pac-12 teams were tested in the first week of Conference play. Previously undefeated No. 1/1 Washington and No. 4/4 UCLA suffered two losses each to No. 12/10 Arizona State and No.5/3 Oregon, respectively, illustrating the depth and strength of the Conference. Both the Sun Devils and the Ducks moved up in the national polls because of the wins, but the Huskies remain the top team in the nation and the Bruins in the top five.

The Pac-12 has four teams in the top 10 of the USA Today/NFCA poll, tied for the most of any conference with the SEC and five teams are ranked in the top-10 of the USA Softball/ESPN poll, the most of any conference. Joining No. 1/1 Washington and No. 4/4 UCLA are No. 5/3 Oregon, No. 9/9 Arizona and No. 12/10 Arizona State. Washington, UCLA, and Oregon have been ranked in the top 10 of the polls for all six weeks of the season, including the preseason.

Three series between top-25 teams are on the schedule this week. No. 12/10 Arizona State travels to No. 20/20 California (P12N), No. RV/24 Oregon State travels to #4/4 UCLA and #9/9 Arizona travels to #1/1 Washington (P12N). No. 5/3 Oregon has a bye this week. The Wildcats top the Conference standings after a 3-0 weekend to open Pac-12 play. The week is highlight by a matchup between Arizona and the Huskies. Arizona looks to remain undefeated in league play and the Huskies look to pick back up the momentum started with an undefeated non-conference slate.

Arizona’s Jessie Harper earns the first Pac-12 Player of the Week honor for the Wildcats of the season. Arizona State’s G Juarez was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for the second-straight time. Oregon State’s Hope Brandner picked up the Beavers’ first honor of the season with her Pac-12 Freshman of the Week nod.

The Pac-12 tops the NCAA statistics in seven categories, including three team and four individual categories. UCLA leads the nation in batting average (.385), on-base percentage (.462) and scoring (7.67). Utah’s Heather Browen and Washington’s Taylor Van Zee are tied for first in doubles (13). Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week G Juarez and Arizona’s Taylor McQuillin are tied for first in shutouts with eight. McQullin is also first in victories (16).

IN THE RANKINGS: Six teams are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA poll, including four in the top 10 with No. 1 Washington, No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 Oregon and No. 9 Arizona. Also featured in the poll is Arizona State (No. 12) and California (No. 20).

Seven teams earned rankings in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll: Washington is No. 1, Oregon is No. 3, UCLA is No. 4, Arizona is No. 9 and Arizona State is No. 10, the five teams in the top-10 is the most of any conference. Also in the poll is California at No. 20 and Oregon State at No. 24.

UNDEFEATED NONCONFERENCE SLATE: Washington and UCLA remained undefeated up until Conference play. The Huskies went through nonconference 27-0 and was voted No. 1 in the USA Today/NFCA and USA Softball/ESPN.com polls the last three weeks leading up to Pac-12 play. UCLA also went undefeated going 24-0. Both the Bruins and Huskies were in the top five of the first five national polls of the 2018 season and the preseason.

PRESEASON COACHES POLL: Oregon was voted first in the Pac-12 softball preseason coaches poll. The Ducks garnered 63 points and seven first place votes to top the polling. UCLA was second with 55 points and two first place votes, while Washington was voted third with 51 points.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS: Three NFCA DI All-America team members are returning for the 2018 season, including the NFCA Freshman of the Year UCLA’s Rachel Garcia. Arizona’s Jessie Harper returns as a sophomore after being selected first team last year. Along with Harper, Oregon’s Megan Kleist and UCLA’s Rachel Garcia return from the second team.

RANKED NEWCOMERS: All nine teams appear in the top 34 of FloSoftball’s top 2018 recruiting classes. UCLA leads the league at No. 2 with five incoming freshman, followed by Oregon at No. 10, Washington at No. 14, Oregon State at No. 21 and Arizona State at No. 23. California is No. 26, Arizona is No. 32, and Stanford is No. 24.

WATCH LISTS: 13 Pac-12 student-athletes appear on the USA Softball Top 50 Collegiate Player of the Year watch list. Arizona’s Aleah Craighton, Jessie Harper, Taylor McQuillin, and Dejah Mulipola, Oregon’s Maggie Balint, Megan Kleist, Alexis Mack, and DJ Sanders, UCLA’s Rachel Garcia and Kylee Perez, Utah’s Alyssa Barrera, Washington’s Taran Alvelo and Taylor Van Zee.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings)

PAC-12 SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK