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Which conference is the best college softball conference?
The answer?
As is commonly the case with women's sports – the PAC-10 is king – or rather queen of the sport.
BUT the SEC is moving up. Read the May 07 Story of the Month about Pac-10 vs SEC Softball. The big story is that SEC Softball is now challenging the Pac-10 for supremacy of Division I College Softball.
1. PAC-10 PAC-10 schools have won the Division I NCAA Softball Championship seven of the past ten and 16 of the past 20 years – including ten straight years between 1988 and 1997. Since 1982, either UCLA (11) or Arizona (7) has won the NCAA tournament 18 times. Can you say "DOMINATION"? This year, the PAC-10 had 7 teams selected to go the NCAA tournament – more than any other conference. Arizona is the current (2006) reigning Div. I NCAA Softball Champion. So, the PAC-10 is clearly #1.
2. SEC We pick SEC softball over Big 12 softball because currently the Southeastern Conference is stronger. You can see that from Tennessee's run all the way to the NCAA softball championship game in 2007. The SEC has a weaker softball tradition and history, but right now, it is the better softball conference.
In head-to-head competition the two conferences have a perfectly even .500 record. [Stats -- through the 2006 season.] Both conferences had 5 teams in the final top-25 national poll. Both conferences had 6 teams picked for the NCAA tournament. The difference is in the quality of those teams. The SEC had four teams in the final top 13; the Big 12 only one (Texas). The SEC had 2 teams in the final 8 in last years NCAA tournament; whereas the Big-12 had only 1 in the final 8. The SEC has a winning non-conference record (259-90) including .592 winning percentage vs. the ACC; .800 vs. the Big East; .592 vs. the Big Ten; .500 vs. the Big 12; and, .423 vs. the PAC-10. SEC Softball is the newest sport in the SEC – only been at it for ten years. So, not bad at all. But, a long way to go to even come close to the PAC-10. The SEC needs to win an NCAA Championship to move to take SEC Softball to the next level. They have never managed to do that--so far.
Was Monica Abbott the best ever? Find out at Best All-Time SEC Softball Player
3. Big 12. Most of the relevant statistics are discussed in the paragraph above. The big advantage for the Big 12 vs. the SEC is that even though the Big-12 has not won the Softball National Championship since 2000, they have won it 3 times to 0 for the SEC. Oklahoma in 2000 and Texas A&M in 1983 and 1987. Sometimes, I'll give the nod to a conference because of its rich tradition and history in a particular sport (i.e. the ACC in Men's Basketball). But, in this case, I wouldn't characterize the Big 12's history and tradition in softball as "rich". I mean they are nowhere near the PAC-10 and they haven't won a championship for 16 years. So, I defer to current strength in this case. And, clearly, the Big 12 is not currently as strong as the SEC.
4. Big Ten. Six teams picked for the 2006 NCAA tournament. Michigan won it in 2005. But only 2 teams in the final 2006 Top 25 softball poll.
5. ACC. Four teams made it into the 2006 NCAA tournament. But none made it to the final eight. No NCAA Softball Championships. Only one team in the final 2006 Top 25 poll.
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The SEC softball teams are ranked as follows: (Click link for individual team pages)
1. Tennessee Volunteers Went all the way to the NCAA tournament championship game last season. Had the best regular season record in the SEC. Beat LSU in the 2006 SEC tournament. Finished 2006 ranked 3rd in the country – higher than anyone else in the SEC. Same thing in 2007, except moved up to #2 in the nation (lost to Arizona in NCAA finals). Will miss Monica Abbott this year.
2. LSU Tigers The Tigers usually win the SEC West. They’ve won 6 of the last 9 SEC Softball Tournament Championships. They came in second in the tournaments they didn’t win. LSU finished 2006 ranked 10th in the country. Historically, LSU softball is even stronger than Tennessee's, but not now.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide Ended up ranked 9th nationally at the end of 2007. In 2006, Tide softball made it to the NCAA tournament final 8 and finished the year ranked 7th in the country. Had four SEC 1st Team players. Brittany Rogers was SEC Freshman of the Year, obviously bodes well for Bama’s softball future.
4. Georgia Bulldogs Won the regular season SEC East in 2006. Finished that year ranked 13th in the country.
5. Florida Gators Ended up ranked 14th nationally last year. In 2006, the Gators had three members of the SEC All-Freshman Team (Brooke Johnson, Stacey Nelson, Kim Waleszonia). Those three players have helped form the nucleus of a team to watch in 08. Kristen Butler was selected 2006 SEC player of the year.
6. South Carolina Gamecocks Ended '07 ranked 21st nationally.
Rest of the rankings not updated yet from the 2006 season; but see individual team page for current info.
7. Auburn Tigers Finished 2006 ranked 21st in the country. Selected for the NCAA Softball Tournament.
8. Arkansas Razorbacks In 2006, the Razorbacks had a 10-19 record in the SEC, but that was good enough for 4th place in the SEC West. They were 6-17 versus top 25 teams.
9. Mississippi State Bulldogs They finished in last place, behind Ole Miss in the SEC West and did not play any Top 25 teams outside of the SEC. But, they had a winning overall record of 33-28, substantially better than Ole Miss’ 24-36. So, I’ll give the Bulldogs the edge.
10. Ole Miss Rebels See above paragraph.
11. Kentucky Wildcats Worst record all the way around.
12. Vanderbilt Commodores Has no softball program. You get no credit if you don't play the game.
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