The 2009 Arizona softball team, fresh off the program’s 20th appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the past 21 seasons, will start this year as the seventh-ranked team in the nation.

Florida, which set the NCAA record of 70 wins last year, will open up the 2009 campaign as the top team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Top 25 Poll, one spot ahead of defending champion ASU. The Sun Devils received 15 out of the 30 first-place votes – each conference is represented by one head coach – as opposed to the Gators’ 14, but Florida has a 37-point cushion in the poll.

The Wildcats have held down the top position for at least a portion of each season since 1991 and will have their first chance to improve on their ranking starting Feb. 6 in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe when they face Kansas.

Other than the two Arizona schools, there are four additional Pacific 10 Conference teams ranked in the poll – No. 4 UCLA, No. 11 Stanford, No. 17 California and No. 21 Washington.