Jan. 22, 2013

USA Today/NFCA Preseason Poll
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Bruins were ranked 19th in the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Poll, which was announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Tuesday. UCLA is one of seven Pac-12 teams ranked in the Preseason Top 25.

Joining UCLA in the national rankings were #3 California, #4 Arizona State, #5 Oregon, #13 Arizona, #16 Washington and #21 Stanford. In addition, Oregon State just missed out on the Top 25, receiving the 30th-most votes.

More than half of the Bruins' 56 scheduled regular-season games (29-of-56) will be against teams either ranked in the Top 25 or also receiving votes. Along with their 21 contests against Pac-12 foes, UCLA will play #2 Oklahoma, #6 Tennessee and #10 LSU at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Cathedral City, Calif.), #17 Texas A&M twice at the season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament at Easton Stadium and #23 Hawai'i at the Easton Desert Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.). The Bruins will also face South Alabama and Virginia Tech, who are each receiving votes, at the Long Beach State Invitational.

The Bruins open up the season at Easton Stadium with the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. UCLA hosts Wright State (4:30 p.m.) and Texas A&M (7 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 8, McNeese State (4:30 p.m.) and Wright State (7 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 9 and Texas A&M (11:30 a.m.) on Sunday, Feb. 10.