After a historic 2009 softball season, one in which the Cats traveled to postseason play for the first time in school annals, the Kentucky softball team has picked up receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Pre-Season Collegiate Top 25 Poll.

The Cats, led by third-year coach Rachel Lawson, picked up 11 votes (36th) in the USA Today/NFCA poll and just missed out on cracking the top 25 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll with 26 votes (26th).

But should UK feel a little overlooked after last year’s historic run? Maybe so.

In the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance, the Cats picked up wins over Canisius and BYU while notching 34 wins, the second most in school history.

But here’s why Kentucky might be a bit underrated to start the season: the Cats return virtually its entire team from a year ago. Back are offensive stalwarts Molly Johnson, Megan Yocke and Brittany Cervantes. Record-setting pitchers Chanda Bell and Rachel Riley also return.

We’re not just talking about the core of a team – we’re talking about an entire uprising squad that was just learning how to win last year. Now with a year of success in the books, the ceiling appears higher than it ever has for the UK softball program.

Regardless, the votes the Cats received in the polls is telling of how far the program has come.

On Feb. 11 in Tempe, Ariz., UK will try to take it even farther.