IRVING, Texas – The team at the top of the standings following an abbreviated 2020 American Athletic Conference softball season remained there heading into the new campaign. UCF was selected as the predicted league favorite in the 2021 American Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll that featured votes from all seven of the conference’s softball head coaches.
UCF was atop the conference standings when the remainder of the 2020 season was cancelled on the eve of the start of league play due to COVID-19, as the Knights compiled a 21-5-1 (.796) nonconference mark. UCF received all six possible first-place votes and 36 points in the 2021 preseason order of finish.