Kasey Cooper is rated the nation's best player by ESPNW.

Thursday will be a star-studded day in the Triple Crown softball tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. No. 2 Auburn opens its season in a national championship game rematch against No. 1 Oklahoma at 1 p.m. on ESPNU and plays No. 13 Washington at 7 p.m.

According to ESPNW’s preseason list of the nation’s top 25 players, the top three will be on display.

Auburn third baseman Kasey Cooper, last season’s ESPNW Player of the Year, is rated No. 1. She is followed by Washington shortstop Ali Agular at No. 2 and Oklahoma pitcher Paige Parker, who beat the Tigers twice last season in the national championship series, at No. 3.

Here is what ESPNW’s Graham Hays had to say about Cooper:

“There is no better person to end our countdown with than the reigning espnW player of the year. Despite playing until the season's final day a year ago -- thus facing a full postseason's worth of elite pitching en route to the championship series against Oklahoma -- Cooper ranked fifth in the nation in on-base percentage and eighth in slugging percentage a season ago. She's the only returning player in a major conference who finished in the top 35 in both categories. She's no less special in the field, either for Auburn or as a member of Team USA.”

For Auburn and even for fourth-year coach Clint Myers, who has taken nine of 11 teams at Auburn and Arizona State to the Women’s College World Series, opening against such elite competition is uncharted territory. And there is some uncertainty. The Tigers must replace departed All-Americans Emily Carosone, Jade Rhodes and Tiffany Howard.

“It’s trying to get these kids to understand what we need to do,” Myers said. “If they just take what we’ve practiced into the game, we’ll be in pretty good shape. It’s getting caught up in ESPN, getting caught up in Oklahoma, getting caught up in being in Mexico.

“It’s the ability to handle the variables on the outside and not the softball things. Because we are young, that’s what we are putting the emphasis on. “

Sophomore Kendall Veach is set to start at first base against Oklahoma. Either sophomore Casey McCrackin or freshman KK Crocker will start at second. Senior Haley Fagan will start at shortstop and Cooper at third. Junior Carlee Wallace will catch. Junior Victoria Draper will start in center and junior Whitney Jordan in left or right. Junior Madi Gipson, freshman Carmyn Greenwood or sophomore Morgan Podany will be the other starting outfielder.

Sophomore McKayla Martin will be the starting pitcher against Oklahoma. Junior Kaylee Carlson will get the call against Washington.