Alabama preseason favorite for 2021 softball season

Alabama is the preseason favorite for the 2021 softball season after a vote of the 13 head coaches in the annual preseason poll.

The Crimson Tide received nine first-place votes, en route to claiming the top spot in the coaches' poll. LSU earned two first-place votes and was tabbed to finish second in the SEC, while Florida secured one first-place vote and finished in third place in this year's poll. Tennessee, who also garnered a first-place vote, came in fourth, and Kentucky rounded out the top five.

Points for the poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

SEC teams are set to begin the 2021 softball season on Thursday, Feb. 11. The 2021 SEC Softball Tournament is slated for May 12-15 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.