EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsA couple of record-breaking home run hitters. An all-time ace making her last postseason run. Most of the sport's blue-blood schools boasting loaded lineups. The 2026 NCAA softball tournament will not lack for star power or storylines.We're a couple of weeks away from the Women's College World Series, but the run-up is the best part. Who will trip up along the way, la No. 1 seed Texas A&M falling to Liberty last season? Who will look like they're shifting into fifth gear just in time? How many home runs will Megan Grant and Kendall Wells be able to hit in a single weekend?Friday's the best, most chaotic softball day of the season, and the action continues all weekend. Here's what you need to know about the NCAA softball regionals.Jump to: Title favorites | Toughest regionalsGreat aces | Best hittersGames to watch10 title favoritesThere aren't many surprises atop the tournament's seedings list -- the top three seeds went to Southeastern Conference teams that have combined for nine of the past 13 national titles and 13 WCWS berths in the past six tournaments. But while the SEC certainly dominates with its depth, each of the four power conferences has at least one team that could go all the way. Here are the top 10 title favorites.No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners (48-8)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 12-6Record over last month: 8-4 (+23 run differential)OU's four-year national title run finally came to an end last June as the Sooners fell at the hands of eventual finalists Texas and Texas Tech in the WCWS. But the dynasty isn't dead just yet. The Sooners have still made every WCWS since 2015 and every super regional since 2009, and while they don't have the absolute best pitching in this tournament -- and they're coming off of a one-and-done stay in the SEC tournament -- they're probably still the most well-rounded team in the nation.Only three teams enjoy an average run differential over plus-5.1 per game; Oklahoma is at plus-7.3 despite having played 18 games against teams seeded in this tournament. Sure, a lot of that came from absolutely torching lesser teams -- the Sooners outscored poor Alabama State by a combined 75 runs in a three-game sweep in February -- but they also beat Arizona by 18, Washington by 13, Ole Miss by 12 and No. 12 seed Duke by 10.When pitchers Audrey Lowry (21-3, 2.70 ERA) and Miali Guachino (14-2, 3.09) are on, the Sooners are untouchable. And when they're off, a batting lineup featuring eight regulars with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) over 1.000 -- including all-world freshman catcher Kendall Wells (36 home runs, 1.535 OPS) and right fielder Ella Parker (21 home runs, 1.476 OPS) -- will probably do enough damage to win comfortably anyway.Oklahoma is only the No. 3 seed because of a weak nonconference slate and a merely solid home stretch, but with these bats and the WCWS in their backyard, you pretty much have to start the favorites list with Patty Gasso's Sooners.No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders (52-6)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 2-1Record over last month: 12-3 (+96 run differential)Despite an expensive and exciting roster and the presence of NiJaree Canady (22-5, 1.24 ERA), basically the face of softball over the past couple of seasons, Texas Tech was strangely low-profile this season. The Red Raiders played almost no one of note in nonconference play (noncon strength of schedule ranking: 172nd), and even their conference slate missed Oklahoma State, the No. 2 team in the Big 12. That earned them a pretty low seed, but they still rolled through most of the season, and thanks to Canady's dominance and the presence of a co-ace in UCLA transfer Kaitlyn Terry (22-1, 1.30 ERA), Canady kept the mileage off of her right arm, pitching 36 fewer regular-season innings than last year. A little rest could go a long way considering she's the ultimate power pitcher. Catch up to the rise ball if you can.Canady hasn't been quite as sharp this year, relatively speaking -- her walk and home run rates are both up, though so is her strikeout rate (and opponents are batting only .142 against her). But her supporting cast is stronger, thanks not only to Terry (who also has 10 home runs and a 1.356 OPS) but also to a lineup that includes speedy center-fielder Mihyia Davis (34 stolen bases) and dynamite newcomers such as Florida transfer Mia Williams (22 home runs, 1.448 OPS) and Southern Illinois transfer Jackie Lis (17 home runs, 1.493 OPS). And besides, the season will be defined by what happens from here.No. 2 Texas Longhorns (42-10)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 10-10Record over last month: 9-5 (+35 run differential)With players like Canady, Wells and UCLA's Megan Grant commanding the headlines, Texas has been able to almost keep its national title defense out of the spotlight. But Mike White's Longhorns tested themselves against a top-five schedule, went a perfect 32-0 against teams that aren't seeded in the NCAA tournament and beat Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama to win the SEC Tournament last weekend. After an April lull that saw them lose back-to-back series to Alabama and Oklahoma (and nine of 16 overall), it appears they've sharpened back up just in time.The Longhorns are not the best at any specific thing this year, but they're very good at everything: They're 12th in OPS and 17th in runs per game (again, with a top-five schedule), and they're 19th in OPS allowed and 13th in runs allowed per game. Catcher Reese Atwood, the hero of Game 1 of last year's title series, is cruising right along (16 home runs, 1.158 OPS), and first baseman Katie Stewart (25 home runs, 1.556 OPS) was named the SEC player of the year last week. The arrows seem to be pointing in the right direction in Austin.No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (49-7)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 9-5Record over last month: 10-4 (+37 run differential)In his 27th season in Tuscaloosa, Patrick Murphy has put together one of his most well-rounded squads yet. Bama began the season 25-0 and only lost one series all year. (Even then, it outscored Tennessee by seven runs while losing two of three.)Like Texas, the Tide aren't the best at anything, and they strike out more than any major contender -- their 241 K's rank 246th nationally, and their contact rate of 83.6% ranks 222nd. But first baseman Brooke Wells (1.449 OPS) and catcher Alexis Pupillo (1.313) have combined for 39 home runs and 116 RBIs, and co-aces Jocelyn Briski (1.45 ERA) and Vic Moten (1.73) have combined for a 40-7 record with 332 K's. And when they beat you, they pound you: Their rsum includes wins of 12-0 over Tennessee, 11-4 over Texas, 9-1 over Florida, 7-1 over Arkansas, 8-0 over Florida State and 13-2 over Ole Miss.No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers (46-6)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 8-5Record over last month: 13-0 (+89 run differential)The SEC can claim a depth advantage in a lot of sports, but the title rings have landed in the Big Ten: Indiana in football, Michigan in men's basketball, UCLA in women's basketball. If that title run is to continue into diamond sports season, UCLA is the most likely to do the deed in baseball, and Nebraska is the most likely here. Rhonda Revelle's Huskers haven't reached the WCWS since 2013 -- they dropped a pair of one-run heartbreakers to Tennessee in last year's super regionals -- but with a powerful lineup and the inestimable Jordy Frahm, they have their best chance yet at ending that streak.Frahm remains ridiculous. In two title-winning seasons with Oklahoma and two years back home in Nebraska, she has racked up an 88-15 record on the mound, with a career ERA of 1.28 and 887 strikeouts over 650 innings. And as Nebraska's most fearsome hitter, she has also hit 42 home runs with 116 RBIs and a 1.463 OPS in 2025-26. She was the No. 1 recruit in 2021, and she has more than surpassed the hype. So has Nebraska this spring.No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks (42-11)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 8-8Record over last month: 7-5 (+1 run differential)There's nothing you can throw at Arkansas that the Razorbacks haven't seen. They've faced the No. 1 schedule in the country and have lived to tell the tale, ranking both 13th in runs per game and ninth in runs allowed. The only two series they lost all season were at Alabama and at Oklahoma, and they won three series against top-10 seeds: Georgia, Florida and Texas (in Austin).Like others in the SEC, Courtney Deifel has put together a beautifully well-rounded squad, one that features seven regulars with an OPS over 1.000 -- the best of the bunch: left fielder Dakota Kennedy (14 HR, 1.190 OPS) and first baseman Tianna Bell (15 HR, 1.164 OPS) -- and a pair of potential aces in lefty Robyn Herron (15-6, 1.98 ERA) and righty Payton Burnham (12-3, 1.89 ERA). Kennedy, third baseman Ella McDowell and center fielder Reagan Johnson all landed on the SEC's all-defensive team as well. You aren't going to find a weakness here.No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers (42-10)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 10-4Record over last month: 6-4 (-2 run differential)It's okay to say it: Tennessee isn't a particularly well-rounded team. Among the title favorites, the Volunteers have by far the worst offense. They're 96th in runs per game, 55th in OPS and 44th in home run rate. Only two regulars (left fielder Alannah Leach and second baseman Ella Dodge) have an OPS over 1.000, and in 10 losses this season they've scored just 1.4 runs per game.That tells you everything you need to know about their pitching. Karlyn Pickens (13-7, 1.52 ERA) led the Vols to within one game of the WCWS championship series last season, and in 2026 she has been arguably surpassed by junior Sage Mardjetko (12-2, 0.96 ERA).Even third-stringer Erin Nuwer (14-1, 1.09 ERA) shut out mighty UCLA in February. You have to score on Tennessee to win, and even the best lineups in the country have struggled to do that: The Vols held Alabama (twice), Nebraska, Florida State and UCLA to one or fewer runs at least once.No. 6 Florida Gators (48-10)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 5-8Record over last month: 8-5 (+12 run differential)Florida is the spiritual opposite of Tennessee. The Gators certainly aren't bad on the mound -- they're 12th in runs allowed per game and 21st in OPS allowed, and ace Keagan Rothrock (26-6, 2.55 ERA) is as battle-tested as they come -- but if they win their first national title since 2015, it will be because of their bats.Florida ranks in the nation's top 15 in on-base percentage (fifth), OPS (seventh), runs per game (10th), slugging percentage (10th), walk rate (12th) and home run rate (13th). The trio of catcher Jocelyn Erickson, right fielder Taylor Shumaker and centerfielder Townsen Thomas -- all first-team SEC honorees -- has combined for 41 homers, 87 extra-base hits, 167 RBIs and a 1.210 OPS. The Gators are ridiculously patient (they have the eighth-lowest swing rate in the country), and they don't miss all that often. They need some confidence after allowing at least nine runs in each of their past four games (and losing three), but they remain dangerous.No. 8 UCLA Bruins (47-8)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 6-8Record over last month: 10-3 (+70 run differential)If I created watchability rankings for softball -- and honestly, I should -- I'm pretty sure I know who would rank No. 1. UCLA ranks just 101st nationally in runs allowed (4.4 per game) and 185th in OPS allowed; Kelly Inouye-Perez's Bruins are generous and will give you some pitches to hit. They know it doesn't matter because they're going to hit even more.UCLA ranks first nationally in runs per game (10.8!) and OPS (1.332) -- in fact, they're first in both parts of the OPS equation: on-base percentage (0.496) and slugging (0.836). They swing at almost nothing off the plate, and they mash any strikes they see. And they have the scariest 1-2 punch in the game. Right fielder Megan Grant (38 HR, 1.991 OPS) has grabbed headlines for zooming past OU's Kendall Wells to break the single-season home run record, but first baseman Jordan Woolery (33 HR, 1.828 OPS) would be the best hitter in any other lineup in the country.Grant's slugging percentage heat map is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.If you locate a pitch anywhere close to the strike zone, Grant is absolutely pummeling it. Oh yeah, and she doesn't swing at anything off the plate. In fact, she only swings at 27.4% of all pitches; among the nation's top 50 in OPS, no one else is under 30%.Grant and Woolery are a distant first and second nationally in OPS, and if you somehow get past both unscathed, you still have to defeat Rylee Slimp (14 HR, 1.357 OPS) and the other five Bruins with double-digit home runs. This lineup is even more powerful than Oklahoma's. UCLA is incredible to watch.No. 9 Florida State Seminoles (49-8)Record vs. top 16 seeds: 2-5Record over last month: 13-1 (+63 run differential)Between Florida State, No. 12 Duke and maybe the two best unseeded teams in the country, Virginia Tech and Stanford, the ACC could see quite a bit of postseason success. But Lonni Alameda's FSU Seminoles are the league's hottest and most well-rounded team. They're 16th in runs scored and eighth in runs allowed, and since suffering a tight three-game sweep at Stanford in early April, they've won 13 of 14.FSU has an ace (Jazzy Francik, who's 21-2 with a 1.75 ERA), the best shortstop in the country (Isa Torres, sixth nationally with a 1.623 OPS) and no real weakness. That combo can take you pretty far. The Noles split a pair of midweek games with Florida down the stretch, and they got revenge on Stanford with a 9-0 win on the way to the ACC Tournament title. Their region is manageable, and they have the offense to potentially keep up with UCLA in the super regional.Five toughest regionalsBe it because they include spicy mid-majors or because they feature a 2-seed that could have easily earned a hosting gig themselves, some regions are trickier than others. Here are five that could give the hosts plenty of work.Tuscaloosa region: The bracket makers didn't do top-seeded Alabama many favors, handing the Tide a pair of the best mid-majors in the field in Southeastern Louisiana and Belmont, which rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in runs allowed per game. SE Louisiana actually has a rotation of three pitchers, all with ERAs under 2.00. Bama might have to win a couple of battles of attrition.Lubbock region: As punishment for the weak schedule, Canady and Texas Tech were given a spicy pair of mid-majors -- Boston (55th in RPI with a 5-6 record against power-conference teams, including two wins over Duke) and Marist (which beat South Carolina and suffered a narrow loss to Arizona State) -- plus an Ole Miss team that grinded its way to the WCWS last season and has won seven of its last 10.Stillwater region: Whoever drew Stanford -- a winner of 15 in a row before falling to Florida State in the ACC Tournament -- was going to land in the toughest regionals list. No. 13 Oklahoma State got the honors.Baton Rouge region: No. 16 LSU eked out a hosting gig with nine wins in its last 12 games, but the Tigers could face some brilliant pitching against Virginia Tech (ninth in OPS allowed) and South Alabama (22nd). Tech is fifth in OPS, too. LSU will need to maintain that recent hot form.Durham region: Arizona has four wins against top-16 seeds, and Howard's only top-16 game was a narrow, 1-0 defeat to LSU. No. 12 Duke is dynamite with the bats, but the Blue Devils have their work cut out for them.10 great acesSoftball ace might be the only position in team sports as or more important than quarterback. Most of the top teams have a good one, but here are the 10 most exciting pitchers in the tournament.Nijaree Canady, Texas Tech: 22-5, 1.24 ERA (6th nationally), .466 OPS allowed (5th), 36.9% strikeout percentage (6th)Sage Mardjetko, Tennessee: 12-2, 0.96 (2nd), .447 (2nd), 34.8% (8th)Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee: 13-7, 1.52 (11th), .461 (4th), 33.8% (9th)Maya Johnson, Belmont: 27-2, 0.66 (1st), .376 (1st), 51.8% (1st)Kaitlyn Terry, Texas Tech: 22-1, 1.30 (7th), .484 (6th), 31.2% (13th)Jordy Frahm, Nebraska: 18-4, 1.24 (5th), .508 (11th), 33.3% (11th)Jocelyn Briski, Alabama: 21-3, 1.45 (9th), .500 (10th), 32.1% (12th)Brooklyn Shroyer, UNCG: 20-6, 1.41 (8th), .491 (7th). 28.9% (22nd)Jazzy Francik, Florida: St. 21-2, 1.75 (18th), .557 (17th), 18.3% (157th)Hallie Burns, SE Louisiana: 20-4, 1.91 (22nd), .537 (13th), 24.4% (42nd)In last year's championship series, NiJaree Canady pitched 13 innings in the first two games to help Texas Tech force a decider. But without a clear second option, Gerry Glasco started her in Game 3 as well, and she finally hit a wall and got shelled. That makes the acquisition of Kaitlyn Terry very intriguing: Canady will surely pitch plenty of innings in the weeks to come, but Terry is dynamite in her own right. Tech and Tennessee each have two of the scariest pitchers in this tournament, and that could be awfully difficult for the rest of the field to counter.Three mid-major pitchers made my list, led by Maya Johnson, one of the four pitchers in the tournament who have logged over 200 innings this season. (The others: Boston's Kasey Ricard, Texas State's Madison Azua and Oklahoma State's Ruby Meylan, who nearly made this list.) Johnson held Tennessee, Mississippi State and Georgia to a combined one earned run, with 36 strikeouts in 20 innings, and Belmont went 2-1 in those games, losing only a 1-0 affair against Tennessee's amazing trio of pitchers. Belmont's batters aren't going to give her many runs against good opponents, but she might not need many.10 great hittersThe best hitters in the country are always excellent. This year, they're spectacular.Megan Grant, UCLA: .645 OBP (1st nationally), 1.345 SLG (1st nationally), 38 HR (1st nationally), 76 RBI (6th nationally)Jordan Woolery, UCLA: .613 (3rd), 1.216 (2nd), 33 (3rd), 107 (1st)Kendall Wells, Oklahoma: .485 (134th), 1.050 (5th), 36 (2nd), 79 (5th)Kylie Doherty, Boston: .473 (183rd), .898 (25th), 26 (5th), 88 (2nd)Isa Torres, Florida State: .605 (4th), 1.018 (7th), 16 (68th), 52 (113rd)Sydney Stewart, Arizona: .560 (16th), 1.000 (9th), 20 (28th), 76 (8th)Katie Stewart, Texas: .563 (14th), .993 (10th), 25 (7th), 63 (30th)Lauren Putz, Michigan: .554 (18th), .987 (12th), 20 (20th), 77 (7th)Mya Perez, Texas A&M: .614 (2nd), .924 (18th), 18 (41st), 52 (113th)Brooke Wells, Alabama: .528 (38th), .921 (21st), 22 (13th), 61 (37th)Even with occasionally shaky pitching, Grant and Woolery could mash their way to a UCLA title.By the way, if you prefer your terrifying heat maps to come from a right-handed batter, here's what Kendall Wells has produced this season:Like Grant, Wells pretty much crushes anything she makes contact with. The primary difference between the two of them -- and the major reason why Grant passed Wells in the home run chase down the stretch -- is pure plate discipline. While Grant swings at fewer pitches than just about any great hitter in the game, Wells swings at pretty much everything.There are 20 players who have produced at least a 1.454 OPS in over 100 at-bats; among them, Wells has the highest chase % (swings outside the zone), the third-lowest contact rate and the fourth-most strikeouts. Opponents caught on to her tendencies a bit, too: Her strikeout rate was 8.5% in February and 16.1% in March and is 34.8% in April and May. And after needing only 40 games to top the single-season freshman record of 30 home runs, she has only hit six in her past 15 games. That's still better than most, but it's down from her earlier pace. And now comes her biggest test yet: postseason pitchers.10 best first-round gamesWeather depending, all 16 regions are scheduled to start Friday. Here's a watch list of sorts for getting the most out of the wildest day of the year.Howard at No. 12 Duke (12 p.m., ACC Network): This is one of the more interesting early games; there's a chance Howard might keep things close, but even if the Bison can't, you don't need a reason to watch Duke's relentless batters in action.USC Upstate at No. 1 Alabama (1 p.m., SEC Network): Bama indeed has a pretty tricky region, but as long as it handles its business out of the gate, it should be fine.Georgia Tech vs. Texas State (1:30 p.m., ESPN App): TXST's Madison Azua nearly made the Top Aces list above with her 26-11 record, 1.90 ERA and 231 K's. She shut out Texas Tech a month ago and beat Texas A&M 3-1 in March, and she could give the Bobcats an excellent chance against a Georgia Tech team that ranks just 77th in runs per game.Ole Miss vs. Boston University (2 p.m., ESPNU): Ole Miss peaked in May last year and picked up momentum late in the regular season this year as well, but Boston is stout: The Terriers boast a 32-6 ace in Kasey Ricard, plus maybe the best batter in the mid-major universe in left fielder Kylie Doherty.Belmont vs. SE Louisiana (3:30 p.m., ESPN App): I'm annoyed that these two have to face each other instead of each getting shots at power-conference foes, but with Maya Johnson facing SELA's excellent pitcher trio, one run might win this one.Louisville vs. Grand Canyon (4 p.m., ESPNU): Grand Canyon spent most of the year as the highest ranked mid-major team in the country and finished 52-8 and 27th in RPI. Both GCU and Louisville rank in the nation's top 25 in OPS, but the Antelopes' pitching has been more reliable to date. Winner likely faces Jordy Frahm and Nebraska.Virginia Tech vs. South Alabama (4 p.m., ESPN App): Virginia Tech might be the best team in the country that isn't hosting a regional and could give host LSU hell over the weekend. But first, the Hokies have to handle a South Alabama team that doesn't allow many runs.Marist at No. 11 Texas Tech (4:30 p.m., ESPN App): Before Tech can deal with either Ole Miss or Boston on Saturday, the Red Raiders have to handle their business against a Marist team with a couple of exciting wins on the rsum.Michigan vs. Kansas (6 p.m., ESPNU): On paper, this is one of the most even matchups of the day: Kansas has scored 6.7 runs per game and allowed 4.2, while Michigan has averaged 6.4 and allowed 4.3 against a slightly tougher schedule. Oklahoma likely awaits the winner, but this should be a fun one in early primetime.Cal Baptist at No. 8 UCLA (10 p.m., ESPN2): I can think of worse things in the world than finishing this wild day by watching Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery knock the crap out of a softball.
