In the NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll following the Big Ten Softball Tournament, the UCLA Bruins moved up to No. 5 spot.
In the Big Ten Softball Tournament, UCLA demolished Penn State 6-1 and then run-ruled Wisconsin in the semifinals, before they ran into the No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Bruins softball team currently have a 47-8 overall record, with a conference record of 20-4 and were invited to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed to host California Baptist in the Regionals.
Despite UCLA’s loss in the Big Ten championship game, the Bruins climbed upward one spot, but Nebraska benefited more, by climbing a spot to take the throne at No. 1. The other Big Ten team on the poll was No. 12 Oregon, who dropped down to No. 11 after being bounced in their first game of the tournament to Wisconsin.
UCLA has been a dominant force throughout the season, but their offense has been special with senior slugger Megan Grant demolishing pitches with a team-leading slugging percentage of 1.345, as of May 12.
In the semifinals, Grant tied the season home run record in NCAA Division I softball and then broke it in the title game against Nebraska with her 38th homer of the season.
Not to be outdone, senior infielder Jordan Woolery also made history as the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year. She has also been a weapon for the Bruins with the team-leading batting average of .515 with Grant just behind her with a .475 batting average. Woolery also currently sits at second on the team in home runs for UCLA with 33.
The Bruins season is been nearing it’s end in the NCAA tournament, but UCLA has a chance to make a run in the with their first game starting on Friday at Easton Stadium, Los Angeles with an anticipated start time of 7 p.m. PT.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA softball makes it to top-five in this week’s NFCA Coaches Poll
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
