The Georgia softball team was ranked No. 8 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Preseason Poll released on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs received 363 total points in the poll to earn the No. 8 ranking. Earlier on Tuesday, the Bulldogs were tabbed a preseason No. 7 team in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Poll.

Georgia returns 11 letterwinners and eight starters from a 2009 team that made the school’s first Women’s College World Series appearance.

In the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll, Washington was selected No. 1, followed by Alabama, Michigan, Arizona and Florida. UCLA ranked sixth while Arizona State was seventh.

Eight of Georgia’s 2010 opponents appeared in the USA Softball preseason poll. The Bulldogs’ opening two games of the season at the Dot Richardson National Collegiate Softball Invitational (Feb. 12-14) will come against No. 6 UCLA and third-ranked Michigan. Following tournament play, UGA opens its Southeastern Conference slate by hosting fifth-ranked Florida for a midweek doubleheader (March 10) just prior to a three-game weekend series with second-ranked Alabama (March 13-14). The Bulldogs will play SEC road series against No. 18 Tennessee (March 20-21) and No. 13 LSU (April 29-30). In additional midweek contests, Georgia will play two games against No. 14 Georgia Tech as the in-state rivals meet in Atlanta April 7 and in Athens April 21, and the Bulldogs will face No. 19 Florida State (March 24) following the trip to Tennessee.

Four other 2010 opponents, Kentucky, Auburn, Texas and Virginia Tech, each received votes in the poll.