LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The initial Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) of the 2017 Division I softball season has been released by the NCAA with the Washington Huskies holding down the top position. To view the complete RPI rankings, please click HERE.

The NCAA developed the RPI to provide its softball selection committee with a resource to utilize when selecting and seeding the annual NCAA Tournament field of 64. The RPI will now be released each week for the remainder of the regular season.

The Huskies, who sit sixth in the March 14th edition of the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball poll, are followed by Alabama of the Southeastern Conference and fellow Pac-12 member Arizona at No. 2 and 3, respecitvley. Rounding out the top-five is Texas A&M of the SEC and Big 12 member Baylor.

Overall, four of the five Power Five conferences hold a spot in the top 10 led by the SEC with four, followed by three from the Pac-12. NFCA No. 1 Florida State of the ACC landed at No. 6, while No. 11 Minnesota is the first representative of the Big Ten Conference. James Madison of the CAA is the only non-Power Five program in the top-25 with BYU (West Coast), Texas State (Sun Belt) and Fresno State (Mountain West) just outside at No. 26, 28 and 30, respectively.