The Arizona softball team reached the top spot in Tuesday's ESPN.com/USA Softball national poll. The Wildcats swept their opponents in Tucson last weekend in the Pepsi Arizona Softball Classic.
UA (5-0) tied with previous No. 1 California, earning 10 first-place votes and 489 points overall. The Bears (1-0) visit Hillenbrand Stadium for two games April 2-3.
UA assistant coach Larry Ray downplayed the team's early rise.
"We're going to continue to strive to get better," Ray said.
"The only rankings that really matter are the ones at the end of the year."
Fox named National Player of the Week
Arizona shortstop Kristie Fox was selected Tuesday as the USA Softball National Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 1-7. The sophomore batted .692 in five games last weekend, with two home runs and nine RBIs.
Fox has hit home runs in each of the Wildcats' last two games, including a 3-3, three-RBI finish in Arizona's Sunday 9-0 five-inning victory over New Mexico State.
Ray said Fox has had to play an increased role on offense early in the season and that she has exceeded expectations.
"She had a tremendous weekend," Ray said. "She swung the bat the way she is capable."
Fox hit 4-6 with two RBIs, four runs and two stolen bases in a pair of 4-3 victories against Northwestern on Saturday and Kansas on Friday.
"I am very excited and honored to receive this award," Fox said in a press release. "We have worked so hard in practice this year, and it really carried over into the games this weekend. I felt comfortable on the field with familiar faces, and hopefully we can continue this type of play as the season goes along."
The Wildcats visit Phoenix this weekend for the Kajikawa Classic. The team begins play Friday against Tennessee-Chattanooga at 2:30 p.m.