BATON ROUGE — Less than one week after becoming the first team east of the Mississippi River to come within one game of the National Championship game, it was announced that the LSU softball team finished No. 3 in both the final NFCA/USA Today coaches poll and the ESPN/USA Softball poll.
LSU posted one of its best seasons in the eight-year history of the program in 2004. The Tigers won the conference trifecta, taking the SEC Western Division, SEC Championship and SEC Tournament titles. LSU then swept through NCAA Regional play with a 4-0 record to advance to its second Women’s College World Series.
In the WCWS, the Tigers defeated Michigan before falling to UCLA. Facing elimination, LSU defeated Florida State and California to force an “if necessary” game with the Bears, only the seventh “if necessary” game since the tournament went to its current formant in 1994. Unfortunately, California rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the fifth inning of the “if necessary” game to defeat the Tigers and advance to the national championship game, where they lost to UCLA.
The No. 3 national ranking in the final poll is the highest for the Tigers since they finished tied for third in the final NFCA/USA Today coaches poll following the 2001 season, when LSU advanced to its first the Women’s College World Series appearance. The Tigers have finished ranked in the top 10 in four of their eight seasons and LSU has been ranked in the final polls for seven consecutive seasons.
With the final ranking in the USA Today poll, it marks the 96th consecutive week the Tigers have been ranked in that poll, including 12 consecutive weeks in the top 10. LSU has been ranked in all 30 ESPN polls since it was established on Feb. 25, 2003, and has been ranked 13 consecutive weeks in the top 10.
The Tigers led a list of six SEC schools that were ranked in the finals polls, including Alabama (No. 13/No. 12), Georgia (No. 11/No. 13), Tennessee (No. 18/No. 16), Auburn (No. 23/No. 20) and Florida (RV/No. 25).
Against team ranked in the top 25 of the final NFCA/USA Today poll, LSU posted an 18-10 record, including a 6-4 mark against teams in the top 10. If teams receiving votes are included, the Tigers improved to 22-11 against teams in that poll.
In the ESPN/USA Softball poll, LSU posted a 20-11 overall record, including a 6-4 mark against the top 10. Adding a 5-0 record against teams receiving votes and the Tigers improved to 25-11 against teams in that poll. LSU posted only one loss during the season to a team not ranked or receiving votes in the top 25, against then-nationally ranked South Carolina.
Final NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll
1. UCLA 46-9
2. California 53-13
3. LSU 57-12
4. Stanford 49-19
5. Florida State 62-12
6. Oklahoma 45-22-1
7. Washington 40-19
8. Arizona 55-6
9. Michigan 54-13
10. UL-Lafayette 60-8
11. Georgia 55-17
12. Oregon 42-21
13. Alabama 45-20
14. Nebraska 45-17
15. Oregon State 44-28
16. South Florida 60-14
17. Illinois 45-21-1
18. Tennessee 55-16
19. Baylor 48-17
20. Long Beach State 51-13
21. Hofstra 38-20
22. Georgia Tech 47-19
23. Auburn 42-18
24. Southern Illinois 45-17
25. Fresno State 48-20
Others Receiving Votes: Florida Atlantic 32, Texas A&M 21, Northwestern 14, Florida 14, Notre Dame 13, Creighton 11, Illinois-Chicago 10, Pacific 10, Michigan State 8, Tulsa 6, Seton Hall 2.
Final ESPN/USA Softball Poll
1. UCLA 46-9
2. California 53-13
3. LSU 57-12
4. Stanford 49-19
5. Florida State 62-12
6. Oklahoma 45-22-1
7. Arizona 55-6
8. Washington 40-19
9. Michigan 54-13
10. UL-Lafayette 60-8
11. Oregon 42-21
12. Alabama 45-20
13. Georgia 55-17
14. Nebraska 45-17
15. Oregon State 44-28
16. Tennessee 55-16
17. Long Beach State 51-13
18. South Florida 60-14
19. Baylor 48-17
20. Auburn 42-18
21. Fresno State 48-20
22. Illinois 45-21-1
23. Georgia Tech 47-19
24. Hofstra 38-20
25. Florida 41-20
Others Receiving Votes: Pacific 18, Florida Atlantic 12, Creighton 9, Tulsa 6, Texas A&M 6, Southern Illinois 4, Mississippi State 2, Notre Dame 1, Seton Hall 1, Michigan State 1.