Florida Women's Softball Moves Into No. 1 Spot; Track Team Ranked No. 7 Nationally

The University of Florida is well known for its strong men's football and basketball programs, but the Gators have a strong all-around athletic department. Their baseball program is among the best in the nation, and their women's sports programs are also routinely rated in the Top 25 in the nation in their respective sport.

As if to drive this point home, there are two news tidbits today concerning Florida women's sports teams. The Gators' softball team is off to a blistering start to the season, going 5-0 and moving into the No. 1 spot in this week's AP Poll. They have their home opener today at 5:00pm against Jacksonville, and considering they have a spectacular home record in recent seasons (133-10 over the last four seasons) and they have won nine straight against Jacksonville, they are in a good position to continue their early season success.

Also, the Florida women's track team is starting to rebound from a disappointing 2011 season. After falling out of the Top 25 last February, the lady Gators have been working hard this season to turn around their program and regain their past success. It's still early, but the results are already paying off; the Gators were ranked No. 7 in this week's Top 25 Poll, and they have already had a number of their athletes post NCAA-qualifying times.

It's easy to get distracted by the big ticket sports, especially now that Spring Training is getting underway for baseball. But this spring, there are a number of local women's teams you should be sure to follow. These ladies are damn good.