BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama, winner of the SEC regular-season title last season, is the preseason favorite for the 2020 softball season after a vote of the 13 head coaches in the annual preseason poll.

The Crimson Tide, who received 11 first-place votes, returns 13 letterwinners from last year’s program that finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 60-10 and a 18-6 mark in league play. Tennessee earned two first-place votes and was tabbed to finish second in the SEC, while LSU finished in third place in this year’s poll. Kentucky came in fourth, and Florida rounded out the top five.

Points for the poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

SEC teams begin action on Thursday, Feb. 6. The 2020 SEC Softball Tournament will take place May 6-9 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

2020 SEC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Alabama (11) 143
2. Tennessee (2) 129
3. LSU 117
4. Kentucky 101
5. Florida 92
6. Georgia 84
7. Arkansas 80
8. Ole Miss 62
9. South Carolina 56
10. Missouri 54
11. Auburn 52
12. Mississippi State 22
Texas A&M 22

Source- SEC