April 3, 2002

WACO, Texas - After sitting just out of the Top 25 for five straight weeks, Baylor's softball team finally cracked the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 this week. The Lady Bears landed at No. 24 in the weekly poll of 27 coaches throughout the nation.

Baylor (37-10) probably got into the Top 25 on the strength of its 1-0 victory last Friday at No. 4 Nebraska. The Lady Bears dropped the second game of the series to the Huskers 1-0, but Baylor held Nebraska to just five hits in the two games.

UCLA remained the nation's top-ranked team for the sixth straight week, however, the Bruins lost 10 first-place votes, now holding just 16. Second-ranked Arizona received the other 11 first-place nods. Stanford, Nebraska and Louisiana State rounded out the top five, followed by California, Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State, Oklahoma and Washington.

Including Nebraska and Oklahoma, five Big 12 teams were ranked this week. Texas moved up three spots to No. 20, and Texas A&M climbed from 22nd to a tie with Florida State at No. 21.

Baylor spent seven weeks in the Top 25 last season, reaching as high as a program-best No. 19.

The Lady Bears return to action Thursday, hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for a doubleheader at 5 p.m. CST.