| 2001 NCAA Division I softball season | |
|---|---|
| Defending Champions | Oklahoma |
| Tournament | |
| Women's College World Series | |
| Champions | Arizona (6th title) |
| Runners-up | UCLA (18th WCWS Appearance) |
| Winning Coach | Mike Candrea (6th title) |
| WCWS MOP | Jennie Finch (Arizona) |
| Seasons | |
The following human polls make up the 2001 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.
| 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 |
| Week 0 [1] Pre | Week 1 [2] Feb 21 | Week 2 [3] Feb 28 | Week 3 [4] Mar 7 | Week 4 [5] Mar 14 | Week 5 [6] Mar 21 | Week 6 [7] Mar 28 | Week 7 [8] Apr 4 | Week 8 [9] Apr 11 | Week 9 [10] Apr 18 | Week 10 [11] Apr 25 | Week 11 [12] May 2 | Week 12 [13] May 9 | Week Final [14] May 30 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UCLA (13) | UCLA (15–0) (19) | UCLA (19–0) (20) | UCLA (26–0) (19) | UCLA (34–0) (18) | UCLA (35–0) (26) | UCLA (35–0) | UCLA (37–1) (25) | UCLA (40–3) (18) | UCLA (42–3) (21) | Arizona (46–4) (21) | Arizona (51–4) (26) | Arizona (54–4) (25) | Arizona (65–4) (27) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (10) | Arizona (15–0) (6) | Arizona (20–0) (7) | Arizona (27–0) (8) | Arizona (28–0) (9) | Arizona (33–2) (1) | Arizona (36–2) | Arizona (38–2) (2) | Arizona (39–4) (7) | Arizona (41–4) (6) | UCLA (44–4) (6) | UCLA (49–4) (1) | UCLA (53–4) (2) | UCLA (60–6) | 2. |
| 3. | Arizona (4) | Oklahoma (8–0) (2) | Alabama (14–0) | Alabama (18–0) | California (28–0) | California (32–1) | California (39–1) | Alabama (34–1) | Stanford (35–3–1) (1) | Stanford (38–5–1) | Stanford (42–6–1) | Stanford (44–9–1) | LSU (49–9) | LSU (59–11) т | 3. |
| 4. | Washington | Alabama (10–0) | California (11–0) | California (19–0) | Alabama (22–0) | Alabama (25–0) | Alabama (28–1) | Stanford (32–2–1) | California (41–4) | California (44–6) | California (45–8) | LSU (48–10) | Stanford (46–12–1) | Stanford (54–16–1) т | 4. |
| 5. | Alabama | California (7–0) | Oklahoma (12–2) | Oklahoma (17–3) т | Oklahoma (21–3) т | Stanford (28–2–1) | Stanford (30–2–1) | California (39–4) | LSU (35–7) | LSU (38–7) | LSU (42–8) | California (47–8) | Oklahoma (41–7) | Oklahoma (50–9) | 5. |
| 6. | Arizona State | Arizona State (10–2) т | Stanford (16–1–1) | Stanford (21–1–1) т | Stanford (28–2–1) т | Oklahoma (26–4) | Oklahoma (28–5) | LSU (30–6) | Alabama (34–4) | Oklahoma (34–7) | Alabama (44–5) | Oklahoma (40–7) | California (48–13) | California (54–17) | 6. |
| 7. | California | LSU (7–1) т | Fresno State (8–2) | Fresno State (8–2) | Fresno State (14–4) | LSU (23–5) | LSU (25–6) | Oklahoma (29–7) | Oklahoma (32–7) | Alabama (38–5) | Oklahoma (37–7) | Alabama (45–10) | Alabama (47–7) | Iowa (49–14) | 7. |
| 8. | LSU | Fresno State (5–0) | LSU (13–4) | LSU (17–4) | LSU (20–5) | Cal State Fullerton (25–8) | Cal State Fullerton (29–8) | DePaul (24–7–1) | Arizona State (30–9) (1) | Arizona State (30–11) | Cal State Fullerton (41–11) | Notre Dame (46–3) | Notre Dame (50–3) | Michigan (43–17–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Fresno State | Stanford (12–1) | Arizona State (13–4) | Arizona State (15–5) | Cal State Fullerton (20–6) | Arizona State (25–8) | Arizona State (25–8) | Arizona State (27–9) | DePaul (29–7–1) | Cal State Fullerton (38–11) | Arizona State (30–14) т | Cal State Fullerton (43–12) | Arizona State (34–17) | Arizona State (36–22) | 9. |
| 10. | DePaul | Washington (6–4) | Cal State Fullerton (14–5) | Cal State Fullerton (19–6) | Arizona State (21–7) | DePaul (14–7–1) | DePaul (17–7–1) | Cal State Fullerton (33–10) | Cal State Fullerton (35–10) | DePaul (33–8–1) | Notre Dame (40–3) т | Nebraska (45–10) | Cal State Fullerton (46–12) | Alabama (50–11) | 10. |
| 11. | Michigan | Cal State Fullerton (12–3) | DePaul (7–1–1) | DePaul (7–1–1) | DePaul (10–4–1) | Fresno State (17–8) | Notre Dame (18–3) | Notre Dame (26–3) | Notre Dame (32–3) | Notre Dame (36–3) | Nebraska (42–10) | Arizona State (31–17) | Nebraska (47–11) | Notre Dame (54–7) | 11. |
| 12. | Nebraska | Iowa (4–1) | Washington (10–6) | Iowa (6–1) | Washington (17–7) | Notre Dame (18–3) | Iowa (18–6) | Iowa (24–7) | Iowa (30–7) | Nebraska (37–10) т | DePaul (36–11–1) | Washington (33–18) | Washington (36–19) | Cal State Fullerton (48–14) | 12. |
| 13. | Iowa | DePaul (4–0) | Iowa (4–1) | Washington (15–7) | Iowa (12–4) | Iowa (18–6) | Fresno State (23–10) | Fresno State (26–11) | Washington (25–14) | Washington (27–16) т | Washington (29–17) | DePaul (42–12–1) | DePaul (47–13–1) | Washington (40–23) | 13. |
| 14. | Cal State Fullerton | Notre Dame (6–0) | Oregon State (15–3–1) | Notre Dame (11–1) | Notre Dame (13–1) т | Washington (20–9) | Oregon State (27–10–1) | Washington (24–12) | Nebraska (33–10) | Fresno State (31–15) | Oregon State (35–16–1) | Oregon State (38–18–1) | Oregon State (40–22–1) | Nebraska (51–15) | 14. |
| 15. | Stanford | Nebraska (5–4) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Oregon State (17–5–1) | Oregon State (21–10–1) т | Oregon State (21–10–1) | Washington (22–11) | Nebraska (29–10) | Fresno State (28–12) | Iowa (30–9) | Iowa (35–10) | Iowa (39–10) | Iowa (42–11) | Florida State (58–12) | 15. |
| 16. | Oregon State | Florida State (11–1) т | South Carolina (11–7–1) | Florida State (22–3) | Florida State (24–4) | Florida State (29–5) | Florida State (31–5) | Oregon State (29–13–1) | Oregon State (30–15–1) | Oregon State (32–15–1) | Fresno State (33–17) | Fresno State (38–17) | Florida State (52–8) | Texas State (54–12) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida State | Oregon State (12–3) т | Nebraska (7–7) | Nebraska (10–9) | South Carolina (16–9–1) | South Carolina (20–10–1) | Nebraska (24–9) | Florida State (34–6) | Florida State (39–7) | Florida State (42–7) | Florida State (47–7) | Florida State (49–7) | Fresno State (38–17) | Louisiana–Lafayette (45–8) | 17. |
| 18. | South Carolina | Michigan (2–4) | Michigan (5–6) | South Carolina (12–8–1) | Nebraska (15–9) | Nebraska (21–9) | Pacific (26–5) | Pacific (31–6) | Pacific (36–6) | Pacific (38–9) | Pacific (43–9) | Pacific (45–10) | Pacific (47–11) | Pacific (50–13) | 18. |
| 19. | Notre Dame | South Carolina (8–6) | Florida State (15–3) | Texas A&M (14–5) | Baylor (25–7) | Baylor (25–7) | South Carolina (21–12–1) | South Carolina (23–12–1) | South Carolina (29–12–1) | Texas State (36–8) | Texas State (39–8) | Texas State (44–8) | Louisiana–Lafayette (45–8) т | DePaul (51–16–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Oregon | Noregon (10–7) | Texas A&M (13–4) | Michigan (5–6) | Texas A&M (16–5) | Texas A&M (22–6) | Texas A&M (23–8) | Baylor (29–11) | Texas State (33–8) | South Carolina (31–14–1) | Louisiana–Lafayette (36–7) | Louisiana (42–7) | Texas State (48–9) т | Oregon State (43–24) | 20. |
| 21. | Southern Miss | Texas A&M (10–4) | Southern Miss (10–5) | Baylor (22–6) | Michigan (6–7) | Wisconsin (15–9) | Baylor (27–10) | Wisconsin (20–12) | Wisconsin (23–15) | Louisiana–Lafayette (31–6) | Michigan (30–12–1) | South Carolina (37–17–1) | Michigan (37–14–1) | South Florida (43–34) | 21. |
| 22. | Long Beach State | Texas (9–4) | Oregon (14–8) | Texas State (17–7) | Wisconsin (12–9) | Pacific (24–5) | Texas State (24–7) | Texas State (28–7) | Texas A&M (27–11) | Texas A&M (28–12) | UMass (31–9) | Michigan (32–14–1) | South Carolina (37–17–1) | Fresno State (39–19) | 22. |
| 23. | Mississippi State | Southern Miss (6–4) | Baylor (19–4) | Wisconsin (7–7) т | Texas State (21–7) | Texas State (24–7) | Wisconsin (17–11) | Texas A&M (24–11) | Baylor (30–14) | UMass (23–9) | Texas A&M (29–15) т | UMass (34–10) | Cal State Northridge (30–22) т | South Carolina (40–20–1) | 23. |
| 24. | Texas | UMass (3–2) | Wisconsin (7–7) | Cal State Northridge (10–5) т | Cal State Northridge (11–7) | Cal State Northridge (14–11) т | Louisiana–Lafayette (21–5) | Louisiana–Lafayette (26–5) | Louisiana–Lafayette (27–6) | Michigan (27–11–1) | South Carolina (34–16–1) т | Cal State Northridge (27–22) | UMass (39–11) т | San Diego State (41–25) | 24. |
| 25. | Utah | FIU (12–4) | Texas State (12–4) | Oregon (16–13) т | Pacific (18–5) | Michigan (9–9) т | Florida Atlantic (31–11) | Cal State Northridge (30–6) | UMass (29–9) | Cal State Northridge (25–19) | Cal State Northridge (26–20) | Texas A&M (30–7) | Kansas (31–25) | UMass (44–13) | 25. |
| Week 0 [15] Pre | Week 1 [16] Feb 21 | Week 2 [17] Feb 28 | Week 3 [18] Mar 7 | Week 4 [19] Mar 14 | Week 5 [20] Mar 21 | Week 6 [21] Mar 28 | Week 7 [22] Apr 4 | Week 8 [23] Apr 11 | Week 9 [24] Apr 18 | Week 10 [25] Apr 25 | Week 11 [26] May 2 | Week 12 [27] May 9 | Week Final [28] May 30 | ||
| Dropped: 22. Long Beach State 23. Mississippi State 25. Utah | Dropped: 22. Texas 24. UMass 25. FIU | Dropped: Southern Miss | Dropped: 24. Oregon | None | Dropped: 24. Cal State Northridge 24. Michigan | Dropped: 25. Florida Atlantic | Dropped: 25. Cal State Northridge | Dropped: 21. Wisconsin 23. Baylor | None | None | Dropped: 25. Texas A&M | Dropped: 23. Cal State Northridge 25. Kansas |