March 27, 2002

WACO, Texas - Baylor softball inched one spot closer to cracking the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 in Wednesday's poll. The Lady Bears are the first team out of the rankings, with 38 total votes, they are just 12 votes behind No. 25 Ohio State.

UCLA remained in the No. 1 spot for the fifth straight week, gaining all but one of the 27 first-place votes. Arizona moved up from third to second and gained the final first-place nod. Stanford dropped from second to third, that Pac-10 trio has held the top three spots every week this season.

Nebraska, who hosts Baylor this weekend, is fourth, followed by Louisiana State, Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, California, Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic.

Texas A&M and Texas join Nebraska and Oklahoma to give the Big 12 four teams in the Top 25. The Aggies stayed a No. 22 for the second straight week, and the Longhorns, who play at Baylor tonight at 6:30 p.m. CST, are 23rd. Two other teams the Lady Bears have played this season are ranked, Fresno State slipped one spot to No. 11, and Ohio State cracked the Top 25 for the first time this season at No. 25. Baylor defeated Fresno State 2-1 earlier this year in Fresno.

Baylor (34-8) has received votes in the poll for six straight weeks this season. The Lady Bears, who were ranked for seven weeks last season and reach as high as No. 19, are four wins shy of tying the school record for victories in a season, established last season and in 1999.