TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Arizona softball team has been tabbed seventh in both the USA Today./NFCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll as well as the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25, the associations announced on Tuesday. The No. 7/7 ranking is UA's highest preseason selection since being ranked No. 2/1 prior to the 2011 season.

This marks the second consecutive top-10 selection in the preseason for the Wildcats, who were picked No. 10/12 in 2017. UA finished the season ranked No. 9 in both polls last year after a 52-9 season and Pac-12 Championship.

Two-time defending champion Oklahoma will begin the season ranked No. 1 for the second straight year in both polls. The Sooners received 31 of the 32 possible first-place votes in the NFCA Top 25. The other went to Florida, which is ranked second in the poll. Pac-12 foes Oregon, Washington and UCLA round out the top five.

The four Pac-12 teams ranked in the top seven of this year's NFCA Top 25 mark the most since 2006. Additionally, Utah checks in at No. 15 and Arizona State is 23rd, giving the conference six teams in the poll, second to only the SEC, which placed eight in the poll.

Arizona is scheduled to play eight teams ranked in the preseason NFCA Top 25. In addition to the aforementioned five other Pac-12 opponents, UA is scheduled to play No. 1 Oklahoma (2/24 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.), No. 16 Minnesota (3/14 in Tucson) and No. 24 Oklahoma State (2/9 at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.).

Arizona returns 12 letterwinners and six starters from its Super Regional squad a year ago, including first-team All-American sophomore infielder Jessie Harper, sophomore catcher Dejah Mulipola, who was recently selected to compete for USA Softball this summer, and junior pitcher Taylor McQuillin, a finalist for last year's USA Softball Player of the Year.

In addition to UA's solid core, the Wildcats welcome 10 newcomers, including a seven-player freshman class that was rated as the No. 6 recruiting class nationally (FloSoftball) and three transfers, including 2017 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Alyssa Denham and two-time All-American Aleah Craighton.

Up Next: Arizona opens the 2018 season next Friday, Feb. 9 at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe. UA will face Northwestern and Oklahoma State on opening day in a pair of games televised by the Pac-12 Networks.

Follow the Wildcats: Be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@ArizonaSoftball) to keep up with the team.