Softball America 2026 NCAA Tournament Roundtable

The 2026 NCAA College Softball bracket is set. The Softball America staff answers five questions before the 64 teams take the field to decide a national champion.

Which host has the toughest draw?

Brady Vernon: Oregon. The Ducks have had their ups and downs this season. The offense has been far more explosive in the second half of the season, but it has still had its lulls. A regional featuring Mississippi State’s Peja Goold, Alyssa Faircloth, and Saint Mary’s Odhi Vasquez is quite the pitching draw. Oregon can’t afford to overlook Idaho State, which lost to the Ducks 4-3 in extra innings earlier this season.

Gray Robertson: UCLA. Like clockwork, the Bruins once again received the best RPI-rated No. 4 seed in WAC champion Cal Baptist, which held a 6-2 lead over UCLA in the third inning not long ago. (UCLA eventually won 13-6, but the Lancers battled.) If the Bruins advance, they could face either Fullerton, which recently had UCLA on the ropes, or a South Carolina team with two strong arms in the circle in Jori Heard and Emma Friedel. This is not a cakewalk by any means.

Jason Rhea: Nebraska. The original bracket reveal made me lean toward Tuscaloosa, but the Cornhuskers will face formidable challenges in Louisville and Grand Canyon. The Lopes and Cardinals are two gritty clubs that combined to go 96-20 in the regular season.

Tara Henry: I agree with Brady on Oregon, but I’ll look at another regional. Lubbock could provide some fireworks. Ole Miss is a dangerous No. 2 seed and a team that survived and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after navigating a grueling SEC slate. Emilee Boyer throws a heavy down ball and will be a tough matchup for the Red Raiders. Boston University also has a pair of wins over Duke, and Kasey Ricard is a workhorse in the circle.

Which top-eight seed is most in danger of not reaching the Women’s College World Series?

BV: Florida. The Gators have the luxury of potentially hosting Texas Tech in the Super Regionals. However, Florida first has to get past Maddy Azua and Texas State, which has beaten other top-16 seeds, Texas Tech and Texas A&M, this season. If the Gators pass that first test, their offense will need to show up against NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry.

TH: UCLA. The Bruins will host South Carolina, Fullerton, and Cal Baptist in their regional, then potentially need to go through Florida State to return to OKC. Matching up with a Florida State staff led by Jazzy Francik could create challenges for the offense. Taylor Tinsley has already thrown 185 innings, so UCLA’s offense will need to continue scoring in bunches to punch its ticket to the Women’s College World Series.

GR: Florida. The biggest question was who would draw Texas Tech in the Super Regionals, and the answer was the Gators. It’s a tough matchup, especially given the lack of pitching depth behind Keagan Rothrock. Of course, this is all hypothetical because the Gainesville Regional is tricky too, with Maddy Azua and Texas State (as Brady detailed), plus a Georgia Tech team that can really hit and already gave Florida a scare twice back in February.

JR: Alabama. The Crimson Tide were given no favors with a potential matchup against Maya Johnson and Belmont. Johnson can shut down any lineup, and Alabama’s offense has been a little unpredictable at times. Beating the Tide twice at Rhoads House is a tall order, but this one could get interesting.

What is your favorite No. 2 vs. No. 3 seed matchup?

BV: Louisville vs. Grand Canyon. The Cardinals and Lopes — if you watched the Mountain West Tournament title game — are two teams capable of erasing deficits quickly. This matchup has the makings of an extra-inning, back-and-forth affair. It will be a chess match to see how Grand Canyon uses its pitching staff against Louisville’s dynamic offense.

GR: Mississippi State vs. St. Mary’s. This one is sneaky. St. Mary’s has beaten Stanford and Washington this season, and Odhi Vasquez is a talented pitcher facing a Mississippi State team that has struggled to score over the last couple of weeks. Peja Goold and Alyssa Faircloth will obviously be a tough matchup for the Gaels as well. This game screams 2-0 in some form or fashion.

JR: Washington vs. South Florida. With Grand Canyon vs. Louisville and Belmont vs. Southeastern Louisiana already mentioned, this matchup jumps off the page. The Huskies were potentially in the running for a top-16 seed about a month ago, and South Florida has been one of the better mid-major teams this season. Combined with Arkansas’ postseason struggles in recent years, this regional feels wide open.

TH: All of the above. I’ll also add Arizona vs. Marshall in the Durham Regional. Both offenses can absolutely rake, and limiting the long ball will be imperative. Marshall ranks 13th in the nation in home runs with 89, led by Sydni Burko (21), Ava Blake (17), and Bella Gerlach (14). Arizona may not leave the yard as often as the Herd, but the Wildcats rank 15th nationally in batting average — and then there’s Sydney Stewart. Stewart has 20 home runs this season, while UConn transfer Grace Jenkins has added 12. Reagan Shockey and Serenti Trice set the table at the top of the lineup with more of a West Coast-style offensive approach.

Who is one underrated player people should watch this postseason?

BV: Nora Abromavage, Virginia Tech. Jordan Lynch has received plenty of well-deserved attention while rising to stardom. However, Abromavage still hasn’t garnered the same level of recognition. She is currently tied with Lynch for the team lead in home runs (18) and leads the team with 59 RBIs. If the Hokies are going to emerge from Baton Rouge, Abromavage will need to deliver in key moments.

TH: Chelsea Mack, Louisville. Mack sets the table at the top of the lineup and ignites the Cardinals’ offense with her elite bat control and speed. The senior outfielder ranks second in the nation in stolen bases with 44.

GR: Ella Boyer, Kansas. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year is a fantastic hitter with 18 home runs this season and has helped lead the Jayhawks to a tremendous year. She is one of several power hitters in the Norman Regional who will be fun to watch in a stadium where home runs tend to fly. Elisa Allen of Binghamton recently broke the school’s career home run record, and Michigan’s Lauren Putz has 21 homers herself. Add in the Sooners, and it could be bombs away in Norman.

JR: Kenzie Brown, Arizona State. Brown has been terrific for the Sun Devils this season and has been even better down the stretch. It would not be surprising to see Brown lead Arizona State to the Women’s College World Series.

Which eight teams will make it to Oklahoma City?

BV: Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Florida State

TH: Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Georgia, Florida State

GR: Alabama, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Duke, Texas Tech, Georgia, UCLA

JR: Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Tennessee, UCLA