BATON ROUGE — After pushing eventual national champion Arizona to a decisive third game at the Tucson Super Regional, the LSU softball team finished ranked No. 11 in the final USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
The Tigers moved up one spot in the final poll after closing out the regular season ranked No. 12. LSU completed the 2006 campaign with a 55-14, recording the eighth 50-win season in 10 years, one of only two schools who have achieved that feat. In addition, the Tigers were 22-8 in the Southeastern Conference, finishing second in the Western Division and in a tie for third overall.
LSU matched their highest ranking in the USA Today/NFCA poll this season after the Tigers came in at No. 11 in six previous weeks. LSU entered the season out of the poll for the first time since 1998, but moved back into the top 25 in the first regular season poll of the year on Feb. 14 and did not drop out the remainder of the season.
The Tigers have now been ranked in 119 of the 140 polls that have been released since LSU reinstated softball in 1997, making the Tigers ranked in 85 percent of the national polls. In addition, LSU ranks ninth all-time in the NFCA poll, the highest ranking among teams that began after the poll was started in 1995.
After sweeping through NCAA Regional play in Baton Rouge, including a pair of wins over in-state rival No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette, the Tigers were sent to Tucson to play the second overall national seed Arizona.
LSU became the first team in history to knock off the Wildcats at home in a game that could have sent them to the Women’s College World Series. The Tigers forced a decisive third game before falling to the eventual national champion, who rattled off 20 wins in their final 22 games, with losses to only LSU and Tennessee.
The Tigers concluded the season with a 15-12 record against nationally ranked teams, including a 4-9 mark against teams ranked in the top 10.
The Tigers are one of five SEC teams ranked in the poll. Along with the Tigers, Tennessee is ranked No. 3, Alabama is No. 6, Georgia is No. 13 and Auburn is No. 21. Florida received votes in the final poll to round out the league teams that were considered among the nation’s elite.
LSU in the Final NFCA Rankings
2006 – 11th
2005 – NR
2004 – 3rd
2003 – 15th
2002 – 9th
2001 – 3rd
2000 – 9th
1999 – 11th
1998 – 13th
1997 – NR