Alabama Softball Ranked Third in SEC Preseason Rankings

Alabama was chosen to finish third in the Southeastern Conference by a vote of the conference's 13 head coaches in the annual preseason poll. Defending SEC champion Florida is the preseason favorite, followed by 2013 national runner-up Tennessee.

The Gators earned 10 out of a possible 13 first-place votes after earning a national-best 58 wins in 2013 and winning its fourth SEC title. The Lady Vols, chosen No. 1 in the preseason NFCA/USA Today poll, earned two first-place votes while the Crimson Tide earned one first-place vote.

The top eight programs in the SEC poll are all ranked in the preseason NFCA/USA Today Top 25, with Arkansas and Auburn also receiving votes. Points for the SEC poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 basis and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

The Tide opens its season next weekend at the Troy Subway Invitational in Troy, Ala. Alabama will play five games over three days, beginning on Friday, Feb. 7 against Kennesaw State at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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2014 SEC Softball Preseason Poll

1. Florida (10)
2. Tennessee (2)
3. Alabama (1)
4. Georgia
5. Kentucky
6. Missouri
7. Texas A&M
8. LSU
9. Arkansas
10. Auburn
11. South Carolina
12. Mississippi State
13. Ole Miss