2026 Mountain West Softball Power Rankings: Week 12

at Colorado State (23-24) – May 2, 12:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network

After a heartbreaking, 9-inning, 4-3 loss to UNLV to open a crucial late-season series, GCU rebounded by taking each of the final two games, run-ruling the Rebels 10-0 in Game 2 and holding off a Rebs seventh-inning rally to take Game 3 by a 4-2 final. With Nevada’s series-ending loss to Fresno State, the Lopes have made it so that a regular-season title is just a couple of steps away heading into the final week of the regular season. GCU’s dream season is back on track, hence why they are back in the #1 spot.

The Lopes will head to Fort Collins this weekend for a matchup with the Colorado State Rams. CSU has nearly clinched a spot in the conference tournament already after a road sweep of Utah State, but their seeding is far from assured, with fourth through sixth being just about as likely as each other. The Rams do have a reason to play hard, so GCU cannot take them lightly here. Although, given the result of the Rams’ previous home series against Nevada (swept, 36-10 combined score), even taking the Rams lightly may not be a problem.

The Lopes are now in the drivers’ seat for the regular-season title, and the #1 seed in the MW Tournament. The Lopes can clinch if they win this final series against the Rams, but they can also clinch with a single win, along with a single Wolf Pack loss. All the Lopes need to do is exactly what they have done the entire season thus far: keep winning. Sounds easy enough for this squad, doesn’t it?

2. Nevada Wolf Pack (36-15, 16-6 MW)

Last Week: #1

NCAA RPI: #49

This Week’s Games:

at UNLV (28-20) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

at UNLV (28-20) – May 1, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

at UNLV (28-20) – May 2, 1:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

Nevada started out their week by winning three straight games, easily taking down Northern Colorado before winning the first two games against Fresno State off of back-to-back Hannah Di Genova walk-off home runs; Nevada’s first and second seventh-inning walk-offs of the season. Unfortunately for Pack fans, Nevada remembered their addiction of losing at least one home conference game per series, leaving 11 runners on base in a narrow 5-4 loss, one where the Wolf Pack couldn’t figure out how to score a single run off of Alyssa Loza: the worst starting pitcher in the Mountain West Conference. Nevada went from being just a game back of GCU for a conference title to two, with next to no hope of earning the right to host the conference tournament in back-to-back years.

The Wolf Pack cannot take any time to feel sorry for themselves, because on deck is the single most important series of the season: a road trip to Las Vegas to take on despised rival UNLV. UNLV is coming off of a series loss to the Lopes, where freshman pitcher Lauren Fettic revealed herself to have team-carrying capabilities that could be a massive problem down the stretch. The Rebels also have one of the only offenses in the conference that can match Nevada’s hard-hitting capabilities, meaning that the Wolf Pack are likely in for a dogfight that they would prefer to avoid at this point in the season.

After the Wolf Pack’s loss to the Bulldogs, this series will most likely decide the conference’s #2 seed. Nevada realistically needs to sweep UNLV to keep the Lopes in their sights, which is something that the Wolf Pack has done in a three-game series precisely once (2021), which was in Reno, not in Vegas. Nevada’s goal, then, should be a series win, which would end up clinching the #2 seed, as well as the second and final first-round bye. I really do not believe that the bye matters to the Wolf Pack as much as beating UNLV, though. I highly recomment that you tune into this series, it will be an absolute slugfest.

3. UNLV Lady Rebels (28-20, 15-7 MW)

Last Week: #3

NCAA RPI: #105

This Week’s Games:

vs. Nevada (36-15) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Nevada (36-15) – May 1, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Nevada (36-15) – May 2, 1:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

UNLV began Week 12 in dramatic fashion, with star freshman pitcher Lauren Fettic going the complete distance in a 9-inning, 155-pitch, 9-strikeout masterpiece, scoring an upset 4-3 win over top-seeded Grand Canyon on the road. With all the momentum in the world, the Rebels then proceeded to go scoreless over the next 11 innings, being run-ruled 10-0 in Game 2, before nearly completing a four-run, seventh-inning comeback in Game 3, falling just short on a game-ending double play to lose 4-2. The Rebels now have no chance of taking home a conference title, but that does not make their next series any less important.

UNLV will host rival Nevada this weekend for their final series of the season. Nevada is coming off of a series win over Fresno State, albeit one that featured yet another frustrating home loss that has all but knocked them out of conference title contention. The Wolf Pack feature the most devastating offense in the conference, along with a pitching staff that can best be described as “inconsistent.” UNLV looks slightly outmatched on paper here, but they have not lost a home series to the Wolf Pack since 2016, so expect a typical dogfight.

The winner of this series will take home the #2 seed in the conference tournament, unless the Lopes end up losing their series to Colorado State. The last time the Rebels earned a first-round bye in the conference tournament was in their last appearance (2024), where two straight losses to the Wolf Pack and Broncos ended their great season anticlimactically. The Rebels are dying for a chance at a redo, one which sits right in front of them.

4. Colorado State Rams (23-24, 11-11 MW)

Last Week: #6

NCAA RPI: #167

This Week’s Games:

vs. #21/RV GCU – April 30, 7:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. #21/RV GCU – May 1, 5:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. #21/RV GCU – May 2, 1:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

The Rams got back in the game in a major way last weekend, sweeping Utah State in Logan for their first conference sweep of the season. The first game went into extras, with the Rams coming back from down 8-4 entering the seventh inning, eventually winning 11-8. Game 2 saw CSU nearly blow a 7-2 lead entering the bottom of the sixth, holding on late to win 7-5. Game 3, meanwhile, was an absolute romp where the Rams were up 15-1 after the top of the third, eventually winning 15-6 in five innings. The Rams went from being just a game up on the tournament cutoff line to three, nearly guaranteed to go from the bottom of the conference to its upper echelon in just one year. They can still serve as the “home” team in the first round of the conference tournament, though their path to that spot is far from easy.

Colorado State will be the last team to face the best in the Mountain West, playing host to the Lopes for their season-finale series. GCU is coming off of a series win over UNLV, and needs to win this series to fully clinch the regular-season title. The Lopes have shown next to no vulnerability to potentially lose a series this season, a fact which does not bode well for the Rams this weekend.

By my count, CSU’s best-case scenario here is to snatch one of three off of the champions-to-be. If that ends up being the case, the most likely outcome for the Rams would be to end up tied with the Lobos and Bulldogs, who both have the tiebreaker over the Rams by way of head-to-head record. I expect the Rams to make the tournament, but I think the #6 seed is the most likely scenario for them, unfortunately.

5. Fresno State Bulldogs (21-22, 10-12 MW)

Last Week: #5

NCAA RPI: #96

This Week’s Games:

vs. San Diego State (23-24) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. San Diego State (23-24) – May 1, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. San Diego State (23-24) – May 2, 1:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

Fresno State started off the week by blowing late leads in back-to-back games at Nevada, with pitchers Lauryn Carranco and Alyssa Ramirez giving up home runs to Hannah Di Genova while on the verge of complete-game victories. Game 3 was pure redemption for the ‘Dogs, as struggling pitcher Alyssa Loza was the one to take revenge on the Wolf Pack, holding off a late rally to prevail, 5-4. The upset over the Pack puts Fresno State in a far better position, just one win away from clinching a spot in the MW Tournament.

The ‘Dogs host the Aztecs for a Pac-12 preview battle to close out the season. SDSU has been a complete, unmitigated disaster this season, having just lost their seventh consecutive conference series, this time to a struggling Boise State team at home. The Aztecs will be desperate for wins, but at this point, I highly doubt it will matter at all.

If the Bulldogs win this series, they will be in the conference tournament no matter what. Even if they lose this series, that would still be enough to eliminate the Aztecs, but that would put them in danger of losing out via tiebreaker if Boise State sweeps San Jose State. I don’t expect the Bulldogs to let it get that far, but considering the fact that Fresno State has yet to win a three-game home series this season, an upset may be more than a possibility.

6. New Mexico Lobos (23-25, 10-12 MW)

Last Week: #4

NCAA RPI: #134

This Week’s Games:

vs. Utah State (19-31) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Utah State (19-31) – May 1, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Utah State (19-31) – May 2, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

New Mexico had a golden opportunity to cement their spot in the MW Tournament this week, but instead, lost their series to conference-caboose San Jose State, falling down to fifth in the conference standings entering the final week of the season. The Lobos are still more than on track to making the dance, but losses like this don’t exactly provide an abundance of confidence.

The Lobos host lowly Utah State this weekend for their final conference series against the Aggies for the foreseeable future. Utah State will be eliminated with even a single loss, so the Aggies will be desperate here. Fortunately, given USU’s horrendous pitching staff, the Lobos should have little trouble scoring, at the very least.

A sweep this weekend is very likely, but all the Lobos need is a single win, as they hold the tiebreaker over both of the teams that could tie them at that point. If the Lobos took two of three over the Aggies, they would most likely end up being tied with Fresno State for fourth, with the head-to-head going in UNM’s favor to give them the #4 seed in the tournament. This would be the best-case scenario for the Lobos, as they would end up facing the Bulldogs in the single-elimination opening round.

7. Boise State Broncos (22-30, 8-14 MW)

Last Week: #9

NCAA RPI: #106

This Week’s Games:

vs. San Jose State (15-30) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. San Jose State (15-30) – May 1, 3:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

vs. San Jose State (15-30) – May 2, 11:00 a.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

Boise State became the next member in a long line of teams that have completely embarrassed the Aztecs this season, going into San Diego and leaving with a series win for the first time since 2018. The Broncos now hold the season tiebreaker over the Aztecs, but are still in a terrible position, almost certain to miss the conference tournament altogether. Boise State has a good core, and a bright future, but this year seems like it is about to come to an end.

The Broncos do have a massive advantage in their pursuit to make the tournament, hosting lowly San Jose State for their final conference series of the season. SJSU is coming off of a series upset over New Mexico, but the Spartans have just two total road wins during conference play this season. Granted, the Broncos have yet to win a conference game at home since the second week of conference play, but a home series against the worst team in the conference is just about the best possible way to end your season.

Boise State has just one path remaining to the conference tournament. First, they need to sweep SJSU in their final series, which is tough to ask of them, given their recent performances at home. If the Broncos could pull this off, they would then need the Bulldogs to lose their final series to the Aztecs, which might be even less likely. This is the only scenario that is even relatively reasonable at this point, but even this seems like an unlikely outcome at the end of the day. The Broncos need a miracle to make it in at this point, but I don’t think that will be the case for them, unfortunately.

8. San Diego State Aztecs (23-24, 8-14 MW)

Last Week: #8

NCAA RPI: #98

This Week’s Games:

at Fresno State (21-22) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

at Fresno State (21-22) – May 1, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

at Fresno State (21-22) – May 2, 1:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

SDSU got back to their laughable ways this weekend, losing yet another home series, this time to a Boise State squad that had lost 11 of their previous 13 games. This series loss has all but eliminated the Aztecs from the conference tournament, an outcome which would secure their status as one of the biggest single-season collapses from a Mountain West team in any sport.

The Aztecs travel up I-5 to Fresno this weekend, taking on the Bulldogs for their final series of the season. The Bulldogs are coming off of a series loss to Nevada, but their series finale victory over the Wolf Pack allowed them to build a two-game lead over the Aztecs heading into what was previously looking like a winner-takes-all series.

Even a mere series win over the Bulldogs will not be enough for the Aztecs to make it, a sweep is the only option left. Even if this unlikely scenario were to come to pass, the Aztecs would still not make the tournament if Boise State also swept San Jose State. If an upset series sweep is not enough to save your season without outside help, I’d say things have become truly dire.

9. San Jose State Spartans (15-30, 7-15 MW)

Last Week: #10

NCAA RPI: #171

This Week’s Games:

vs. Boise State (22-30) – April 30, 5:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Boise State (22-30) – May 1, 2:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

vs. Boise State (22-30) – May 2, 10:00 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network

San Jose State got themselves out of the bottom spot this week, scoring a series upset over New Mexico. This is fantastic and all, and gives SJSU hope for next year. However, I need to place emphasis on that “next year” part, as San Jose State has still become the first team to be eliminated from the conference tournament this season.

SJSU will travel to Boise this weekend for their season-closing series against the Broncos. Boise State will be gunning for a sweep to benefit their own ambitions, and the Spartans are merely playing for pride. However, the Spartans will be the benefactors of an embarrassing Bronco trend: being swept at home by their last two home opponents, including the Lobos squad that the Spartans just beat. This looks to be suprisingly possible, but unfortunately, it will still likely not matter.

Despite the fact that the Lobos and Bulldogs are each three games up on the Spartans, there is no scenario where SJSU can make it into that final spot due to the way the conference schedule has worked out. Even if the Spartans were to sweep the Broncos, the fact that SDSU and Fresno State play each other means that even if the Aztecs were to beat or sweep the cut-line Bulldogs, the Aztecs would end up taking the final spot. In addition, the fact that USU and UNM play each other means that the Aggies would be no help by sweeping the Lobos, as Utah State would end up taking that spot due to a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Spartans. Despite this disappointing outcome, there should be no shame from the SJSU locker room this year. Perhaps next year is the year, Spartans. You surprised me this year, SJSU. I’m proud of you guys.

10. Utah State Aggies (19-31, 7-15 MW)

Last Week: #7

NCAA RPI: #173

This Week’s Games:

at New Mexico (23-25) – April 30, 6:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

at New Mexico (23-25) – May 1, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

at New Mexico (23-25) – May 2, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network

While SJSU has some hope remaining of making it to the conference tournament, the same cannot be said about Utah State. USU was swept at home by Colorado State last weekend, continuing their incredible run of terrible form, having won just nine of their last 34 games. USU needs a lot of things to go right in order to have a chance at making the conference tournament, starting with their final series of the season.

Utah State will travel to Albuquerque to take on the Lobos in their season finale. The Lobos are coming off of a series loss to San Jose State last weekend, which might give some hope of a series upset at first glance. However, the Lobos have lost just one three-game home series this season (GCU), and have gone 8-8 at home this year. This doesn’t bode well, considering what exactly the Aggies need to happen this weekend to make it to the tournament.

Currently three games back of the tournament cut line, Utah State not only needs to sweep the Lobos, they need the Broncos to lose their series to the Spartans, as well as the Aztecs to lose their series to the Bulldogs. The most unlikely of these is definitely the Aggies sweeping the Lobos on the road, which would require a sudden, unprecedented turnaround for their consistently abysmal pitching staff. I fully believe the Aggies, while not having the worst overall record in the conference, are the definitive worst team in the MW. I cannot see a realistic way for the Aggies to make it to the tournament, thus meaning this will be yet another lost season in a long line of Aggie softball misery.