(NEW YORK, NY)—The Golf World/NGCA Division I College Women’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll has been released, combining the resources of Golf World magazine and the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). The complete results, including results from Divisions II and III, will appear in the September 3, 2012 issue of Golf World and are live now:
http://golfdig.st/PoXKuQ
Fresh off its first ever NCAA women's golf title, Alabama enters the 2012-13 season as the No. 1 team in the Golf World/NGCA Division I women's preseason coaches' poll. The Crimson Tide won four times in a year ago and return All-Americans Stephanie Meadow (the Ladies British Amateur champion) and Jennifer Kirby from the squad that claimed the NCAA title for Hall of Fame coach Mic Potter. The team earned 19 of the 27 first-place votes and holds the top spot in the Golf World poll for the first time since March 2011.
UCLA, with six first-place votes, claimed the No. 2 spot in the poll. The Bruins were the top ranked team in every Golf World poll in 2011-12 only to finish in eighth place at the NCAA Championship. Still, the program brings back All-Americans in Lee Lopez, Tiffany Lua and Erynne Lee.
USC, which lost to Alabama by one stroke at nationals, finds itself in the No. 3 spot, followed by Pac-12 foe Arizona State. Rounding out the top five is Duke, led by NCAA player of the year Lindy Duncan.
Visit Golf World Senior Writer Ryan Herrington’s “Campus Insider” blog to find out the latest on collegiate golf: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/campusinsider.
Golf World/NGCA Coaches’ Poll
Pre-Season Poll | Sept. 3, 2012 Issue
NCAA Women’s Division I
Rank Team Points NCAA
1. Alabama (19) 655 Win
2. UCLA (6) 638 8th
3. USC 578 2nd
4. Arizona State (1) 559 T-6
5. Duke (1) 525 15th
6. North Carolina 470 10th
7. Auburn 452 DNP
8. Vanderbilt 380 11th
9. Florida 354 12th
10. LSU 324 3rd
11. Georgia 311 DNP
12. Virginia 294 4th
13. Tennessee 272 19th
14. Arizona 260 DNP
15. Texas A&M 255 T-16
16. Colorado 239 18th
17. South Carolina 237 5th
18. California 226 DNP
19. Oklahoma 200 T-6
20. Baylor 176 T-16
21. Oklahoma State 175 DNP
22. Purdue 173 9th
23. Arkansas 143 23rd
24. Pepperdine 127 21st
25. N.C. State 126 T-13
Also receiving votes: Texas, 113; Ohio State, 81; Stanford, 79; Oregon, 60; Michigan State, 51; UC Davis, 28; TCU, 22; Colorado State, 21; Florida State, 20; Notre Dame, 17; Wake Forest, 17; SMU, 14; Texas State, 12; Cal Poly, 11; Florida International, 7; Texas Tech, 7; Denver, 5; Illinois, 5; Tulane, 3; Washington, 3; CSU-Fullerton, 2; Chattanooga, 2; Michigan, 2; UCF, 2; North Dakota State, 1; Tulsa, 1; USF, 1.