Arkansas softball earns Top 5 overall seed in NCAA Tournament
For the sixth consecutive year, postseason softball will be played at Bogle Park.
Arkansas (42-11) was selected as the No. 5 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament during Sunday’s Selection Show. They will host 2-seed Washington, 3-seed South Florida, and 4-seed Fordham in the Fayetteville Regional.
Arkansas will play Fordham at 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday on ESPN+. Washington and South Florida will clash at 7 p.m. on ESPNU following the Hogs’ and Rams’ matchup.
This is 15th NCAA Tournament berth in program history, ninth under 11th-year head coach Courtney Deifel and fourth time to earn a Top 8 seed. The Hogs also reached 40 wins this season for the sixth time under Deifel and eighth all-time.
If Arkansas makes it out of the Fayetteville Regional, it would host a Super Regional against the winner of the Durham Regional (Arizona, Duke, Marshall, Howard).
The Razorbacks own the nation’s No. 1 RPI rating. They finished seventh in the SEC regular season standings and made it to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, where they fell to runner-up Alabama. Arkansas won six of its eight SEC series.
Washington (36-18) finished fifth in the Big 10 regular season standings. They are led by All-Big 10 infielders Giselle Alvarez and Alexis DeBoer, the daughter of Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer, as well as pitcher Morgan Reimer. The Hogs have a perfect 5-0 all-time record against the Huskies.
South Florida (42-15) is the AAC regular season and tournament champions behind tournament MVP Anne Long. It was the Bulls’ second consecutive tournament championship. Kathy Garcia-Soto was tabbed 2026 AAC Defensive Player of the Year, her third time to earn the honor, and Long was the league’s Pitcher of the Year. The Bulls are the only team in the regional field who boast an all-time winning record over The Hogs (1-4).
Fordham (27-26) defeated Loyola-Chicago to claim the Atlantic 10 tournament championship. Pitcher Victoria Klimaszewski was selected as the tournament’s MVP. Arkansas is 4-0 all-time against Fordham.
The Schedule
Friday, May 15
Game 1: Arkansas vs. Fordham – 4:30 p.m. – ESPN+
Game 2: Washington vs. South Florida – 7 p.m. – ESPNU
Saturday, May 16
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: TBD
Game 5: TBD
Sunday, May 17
Game 6: TBD
*Game 7: TBD
*if necessary
NCAA Tournament National Seeds
1. Alabama (SEC)
2. Texas (SEC)
3. Oklahoma (SEC)
4. Nebraska (Big Ten)
5. Arkansas (SEC)
6. Florida (SEC)
7. Tennessee (SEC)
8. UCLA (Big Ten)
9. Florida State (ACC)
10. Georgia (SEC)
11. Texas Tech (Big 12)
12. Duke (ACC)
13. Oklahoma State (Big 12)
14. Oregon (Big Ten)
15. Texas A&M (SEC)
16. LSU (SEC)
Subscribe to HawgBeat now for just $1, visit our homepage to sign up today! This includes complete access to all On3 and Rivals national content, plus The Trough premium message board.
