STARKSVILLE, Miss. - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine softball team open the 2008 season ranked No. 15 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll.
It is the sixth time overall that UH has been ranked in the NFCA preseason poll, first since 2000. The highest Hawai`i has ever been voted in the preseason was No.9 in 1995, following UH's amazing 1994 season in which they went 51-14 and earned their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Hawai`i, which was picked to repeat as WAC champions in 2008, returns seven starters and 17 letter winners from last season's squad that finished 50-13 overall and 16-2 in conference action.
The `Bows ended 2007 ranked No. 12 according to the NFCA after winning an NCAA regional for the first time in school history and becoming the first WAC school to advance to the super regional round.
Fresno State earned 13 votes in the poll and saw seven of their opponents in the top 25: Oklahoma, LSU, Hawai'i, Ohio State, Oregon, Cal State Fullerton and Texas, and another four receiving votes: Massachusetts, Houston, Long Beach State, UNLV and Cal Poly.
Rainbow Wahine Softball All-Time NFCA Preseason Rankings
1995 - No. 9
1996 - No. 23
1997 - No. 22
1999 - No. 17
2000 - No. 20
2008 - No. 15