No. 1 California Baptist returns 12 starters from its 2009 national championship team, including 2009 NAIA Pitcher of the Year, Tory Ferreira. Ferreira became the first pitcher in NAIA history to go undefeated and have at least 20 wins, as a freshman. The 2009 NAIA National Championship MVP Ashley Boyd returns for her senior season. The senior shortstop set school single-season records for home runs (16), hits (100), runs scored (82) and total bases (178). The Lancers finished last season with a school record 61 wins, on their way to winning the school's first softball championship.

The University of Houston-Victoria received its highest preseason ranking in the progrm's short history, as the number 13 team in the country, according to the NAIA Preseason Softball Poll.

No. 22 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), No. 23 Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.) and No. 25 McKendree (Ill.) all make an appearance in the poll after finishing the 2009 season unranked.

Four conferences, Golden State Athletic Conference, Sooner Athletic Conference, Southern States Athletic Conference and Association of Independent Institutions, each have three teams listed in the initial poll for the 2010 season.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences. The first regular-season poll will be announced on March 23.

The Jaugars are also tied with Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia) as the top team in the Association of Independent Institutions conference rankings.

RANK	POLL^	SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)	2009 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	California Baptist University (23)	61-5	653
2	3	Dickinson State University (N.D.)	42-5	629
3	6	Oklahoma City University	53-9	594
3	4	Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.)	48-13	594
5	2	Lubbock Christian University (Texas)	54-7	549
6	5	William Carey University (Miss.)	42-7	540
7	8	Bethel College (Ind.)	52-7	518
8	9	Martin Methodist College (Tenn.)	43-13	483
9	11	Simon Fraser University (B.C.)	20-13	471
10	7	Saint Gregory's University (Okla.)	45-15	446
11	14	Concordia University (Calif.)	41-21	428
12	18	Shorter College (Ga.)	44-16	421
13	12	University of Houston - Victoria (Texas)	32-15	413
14	13	Madonna University (Mich.)	53-11	388
15	23	College of Idaho	34-16	340
16	16	Lee University (Tenn.)	39-14	309
17	24	Saint Xavier University (Ill.)	32-19	290
18	17	University of Mobile (Ala.)	32-12	268
19	25	Notre Dame College (Ohio)	34-11	263
20	20	California State University-San Marcos	34-23	254
21	21	William Penn University (Iowa)	40-18	245
22	NR	Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.)	31-22	152
23	NR	Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.)	22-18	133
24	19	Campbellsville University (Ky.)	40-7-1	124
25	NR	McKendree University (Ill.)	30-17	123

Others receiving votes: Evangel University (Mo.) 103; Marian University (Ind.) 86; Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) 77; Brenau University (Ga.) 73; Georgetown College (Ky.) 64; Morningside College (Iowa) 59; Bellevue University (Neb.) 59; Southern Oregon University 40; Union University (Tenn.) 32; Warner University (Fla.) 25; Grand View University (Iowa) 19; Robert Morris University (Ill.) 18; Belhaven University (Miss.) 14; Rogers State University (Okla.) 13; Holy Names University (Calif.) 11; Milligan College (Tenn.) 11; Concordia University (Ore.) 11; Bethany College (Kan.) 10; Columbia College (Mo.) 7; Northwood University (Texas) 4; Central Methodist University (Mo.) 4; Midland Lutheran College (Neb.) 3; Bethel University (Tenn.) 1; Ottawa University (Kan.) 1; Indiana University Southeast 1; Lindenwood University (Mo.) 1; Hastings College (Neb.) 1; Bacone College (Okla.) 1; Friends University (Kan.) 1; Asbury College (Ky.) 1.