# 1997 NCAA Division I softball rankings

The following human polls make up the 1997 NCAA Division I women's softball rankings. The NFCA/USA Today Poll is voted on by a panel of 32 Division I softball coaches and ranks to top 25 teams nationally.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| Italics | Number of first place votes |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## NFCA/USA Today

| | Week 0 Jan 25 | Week 1 Feb 26 | Week 2 Mar 5 | Week 3 Mar 12 | Week 4 Mar 19 | Week 5 Mar 26 | Week 6 Apr 2 | Week 7 Apr 9 | Week 8 Apr 16 | Week 9 Apr 23 | Week 10 Apr 30 | Week 11 May 7 | Week Final May 28 | |
| 1. | Arizona | Arizona (25) (15–0) | Arizona (25) (21–0) | Arizona (25) (25–0) | Arizona (25) (25–0) | Arizona (25) (30–1) | Arizona (25) (31–2) | Fresno State (15) (37–6) | Fresno State (17) (39–6) | Arizona (16) (42–4) | Arizona (21) (48–4) | Arizona (24) (42–4) | Arizona (25) (61–5) | 1. |
| 2. | UCLA | Fresno State (9–0) | Fresno State (10–1) | Fresno State (16–1) | Fresno State (19–2) | Fresno State (27–4) | Fresno State (34–5) | Arizona (9) (33–4) | Arizona (8) (38–4) | Fresno State (8) (42–7) | Fresno State (3) (44–7) | South Carolina (1) (52–4) | UCLA (49–14) | 2. |
| 3. | Fresno State | UCLA (13–4) | UCLA (20–4) | UCLA (22–4) | UCLA (22–4) | UCLA (24–4) | UCLA (28–6) | UCLA (29–7) | South Carolina (45–3) | South Carolina (1) (51–3) | South Carolina (1) (57–3) | Iowa (46–5) | Fresno State (54–14) | 3. |
| 4. | Washington | Washington (12–3) | South Carolina (11–2) | South Carolina (19–2) | South Carolina (24–2) | South Carolina (30–2) | South Carolina (36–2) | South Carolina (1) (41–3) | UCLA (32–8) | UCLA (34–10) | UCLA (38–10) | Fresno State (45–10) | Washington (50–19) | 4. |
| 5. | Michigan | Michigan (4–2–1) | Washington (16–5) | Washington (16–5) | Washington (16–5) | Washington (20–6) | Washington (24–6) | Iowa (29–5) | Iowa (31–5) | Iowa (36–5) | Iowa (41–5) | UCLA (39–11) | Iowa (52–9) | 5. |
| 6. | Iowa | South Carolina (5–2) | Long Beach State (17–5) | Michigan (18–5–1) | Iowa (13–3) | Iowa (19–3) | Iowa (25–5) | Washington (25–9) | Washington (28–10) | Washington (31–10) | Washington (38–10) | Washington (43–13) | Michigan (56–16–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Southwestern Louisiana | Long Beach State (13–5) | Michigan (9–3–1) | Iowa (10–3) | Cal Poly (26–4) | Oklahoma (35–11) | Oklahoma (35–11) | Oklahoma (40–11) | Oklahoma (43–12) | Missouri (41–11) | Oklahoma (51–15) | Missouri (47–14) | South Carolina (63–5) | 7. |
| 8. | California | Oklahoma State (9–2) | Arizona State (11–3) | Cal Poly (22–3) | Michigan State (25–5) | Cal Poly (26–4) | Michigan (28–8–1) | Cal Poly (31–8) | Michigan State (40–9) | Oklahoma (46–14) | Michigan (45–13–1) | Michigan (48–13–1) | UMass (37–23–1) | 8. |
| 9. | South Carolina | Iowa (5–1) | Iowa (5–1) | Minnesota (19–5) | Michigan (21–7–1) | Michigan (25–8–1) | Cal Poly (30–6) | Michigan (30–10–1) | Missouri (36–10) | Michigan State (43–11) | Missouri (43–13) | Oklahoma (54–17) | Colorado State (51–14) | 9. |
| 10. | Oklahoma | California (9–6) | Minnesota (19–5) | Long Beach State (18–8) | Minnesota (19–5) | Long Beach State (23–9) | Michigan State (33–8) | Arizona State (28–8) | Cal Poly (32–11) | Michigan (40–13–1) | Colorado State (41–10) | Colorado State (47–12) | Oklahoma State (40–22) | 10. |
| 11. | Oklahoma State | Minnesota (14–2) | South Florida (14–2) | Oklahoma State (17–7) | Long Beach State (20–8) | Minnesota (19–5) | Arizona State (27–7) | Missouri (34–8) | Arizona State (30–12) | Cal Poly (34–13) | Michigan State (43–16) | Long Beach State (42–17–1) | California (35–25) | 11. |
| 12. | Cal State Fullerton | South Florida (8–0) | California (10–7) | Arizona State (13–5) | Oklahoma State (21–7) | Michigan State (28–8) | Missouri (30–8) | Michigan State (36–9) | Michigan (34–12–1) | Arizona State (30–14) | Long Beach State (38–17–1) | South Florida (45–11) | Missouri (47–16) | 12. |
| 13. | UNLV | Southwestern Louisiana (5–3) | Cal Poly (18–2) | Oklahoma (20–8) | Arizona State (19–7) | Arizona State (22–7) | Long Beach State (25–12–1) | Long Beach State (38–13–1) | Long Beach State (32–15–1) | Long Beach State (35–16–1) | South Florida (43–11) | Michigan State (44–18) | Southwestern Louisiana (46–18) | 13. |
| 14. | Long Beach State | Cal State Northridge (7–2–2) | Oklahoma State (12–6) | South Florida (19–5) | Oklahoma (28–9) | Missouri (25–7) | Minnesota (21–9) | South Florida (34–9) | Minnesota (30–9) т | South Florida (43–11) | Arizona State (30–18) | Utah (39–16) | South Florida (50–13) | 14. |
| 15. | Cal State Northridge | Arizona State (8–2) | Oklahoma (15–8) | Missouri (13–2) | Missouri (19–6) | South Florida (28–9) | South Florida (30–9) | Minnesota (25–9) | South Florida (35–10) т | Colorado State (39–10) | Cal Poly (34–15) | Florida State (45–17–1) | Long Beach State (44–20–1) | 15. |
| 16. | South Florida | Florida State (10–4) | Missouri (11–2) | Michigan State (18–4) | South Florida (25–8) | Oklahoma State (22–11) | Colorado State (31–8) | Colorado State (34–9) | Colorado State (36–9) | Minnesota (31–12) | Utah (36–13) | Cal Poly (36–17) | Utah (44–18) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida State | Oklahoma (11–6) | Florida State (13–6) | California (11–10) | California (17–12) | Colorado State (27–8) | Oklahoma State (24–11) | Northeast Louisiana (35–4) | Oklahoma State (28–15) | Florida State (40–15–1) | Florida State (41–15–1) | Oklahoma State (38–20) | Kansas (38–23) | 17. |
| 18. | Princeton | Cal State Fullerton (7–5) | Cal State Northridge (7–4–2) | Florida State (17–9) | Louisiana Tech (23–10) | Florida State (25–12) | Florida State (29–12) | Oklahoma State (27–13) | Florida State (38–14–1) | Utah (34–11) | Northeast Louisiana (43–8) | Arizona State (31–21) | Oklahoma (55–19) | 18. |
| 19. | Nebraska | Cal Poly (16–2) | Southwestern Louisiana (7–6) | Pacific (14–5) | Colorado State (21–8) | Louisiana Tech (23–10) | Northeast Louisiana (31–3) | Florida State (31–14–1) | Northeast Louisiana (39–6) | Oklahoma State (31–17) | Minnesota (34–15) | Cal State Northridge (34–18–2) т | Cal State Northridge (34–22–2) | 19. |
| 20. | Minnesota | Missouri (8–0) | Louisiana Tech (13–7) | Louisiana Tech (19–9) | Pacific (16–7) | California (20–15) | California (20–15) | Louisiana Tech (24–12) | Utah (28–11) | Northeast Louisiana (40–7) | Oklahoma State (34–18) | Northeast Louisiana (46–10) т | Northeast Louisiana (47–11) | 20. |
| 21. | Notre Dame | Princeton (0–0) | Utah (9–5) | Cal State Northridge (8–7–2) | Florida State (22–11) | Oregon State (16–9) | Louisiana Tech (23–12) | California (23–16) | Louisiana Tech (27–13) | Louisiana Tech (30–14) | Cal State Northridge (31–17–2) | Minnesota (37–19) т | DePaul (42–15) | 21. |
| 22. | Hawaii | Baylor (9–3) | Pacific (9–4) | Baylor (19–8) | Southwestern Louisiana (15–8) | Pacific (21–10) | Utah (22–9) | Utah (23–10) | California (25–18) | Southwestern Louisiana (41–15) | Southwestern Louisiana (43–15) | Southwestern Louisiana (44–16) т | Central Michigan (41–22) | 22. |
| 23. | UMass | UNLV (7–5) | UNLV (7–6) | Southwestern Louisiana (9–8) | Hawaii (21–12–1) | Northeast Louisiana (28–3) | Hawaii (25–15–1) | Kansas (26–12) | Cal State Northridge (26–14–2) | Kansas (33–16) | California (29–21) | LSU (43–12) | Arizona State (32–25) | 23. |
| 24. | Connecticut | Hawaii (10–7–1) | Baylor (13–6) | Northeast Louisiana (15–3) | Cal State Northridge (10–9–2) | Hawaii (23–15–1) | Pacific (23–12) | Pacific (25–12) | Kansas (27–14) | California (27–19) | LSU (40–9) | New Mexico State (33–22) | Michigan State (46–22) | 24. |
| 25. | Arizona State | Nicholls State (12–3) | Michigan State (9–2) | San Diego State (14–6) | Northeast Louisiana (20–3) | Baylor (25–12) | Kansas (21–12) | Hawaii (27–17–1) | Southwestern Louisiana (30–14) | Cal State Northridge (27–17–2) | Kansas (34–19) | California (31–23) | Nebraska (29–24) | 25. |
| | Week 0 Jan 25 | Week 1 Feb 26 | Week 2 Mar 5 | Week 3 Mar 12 | Week 4 Mar 19 | Week 5 Mar 26 | Week 6 Apr 2 | Week 7 Apr 9 | Week 8 Apr 16 | Week 9 Apr 23 | Week 10 Apr 30 | Week 11 May 7 | Week Final May 28 | |
| | | Dropped: 19. Nebraska21. Notre Dame23. UMass24. Connecticut | Dropped: 18. Cal State Fullerton21. Princeton24. Hawaii25. Nicholls State | Dropped: 21. Utah23. UNLV | Dropped: 22. Baylor25. San Diego State | Dropped: 22. Southwestern Louisiana24. Cal State Northridge | Dropped: 21. Oregon State25. Baylor | None | Dropped: 24. Pacific25. Hawaii | None | Dropped: 21. Louisiana Tech | Dropped: 25. Kansas | Dropped: 15. Florida State16. Cal Poly21. Minnesota23. LSU24. New Mexico State | |