College softball Regional predictions: Who advances to 2026 Women’s College World Series?

This college softball season has brought it all so far: a home run chase, pitching prowess and thrilling matchups. But we all know that when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, everything gets kicked up a notch. The path to the Women’s College World Series begins on Friday, and none of what went down in the last couple of months matters anymore: It’s all about winning the next game, the next inning, the next pitch.

What does the road look like to crown the next college softball champion? It starts with the Regional matchups.

The NCAA selection committee changed its seeding process this year. While the 16 Regional hosts still have overall seed numbers (1 through 16), they are now seeded 1 through 4 within each quadrant, similar to basketball. For the first time, the committee ranked teams 17 through 32 (though the list was not publicized) to give the Regionals more balance. Those teams are seeded 5 through 8 within each quadrant.

Here is a region-by-region look at the field of 64.

Tuscaloosa Regional

1. Alabama (No. 1 overall)

2. Southeastern Louisiana

Belmont

USC Upstate

Baton Rouge Regional

4. LSU (No. 16 overall)

5. Virginia Tech

South Alabama

Akron

If there’s one theme to this grouping, it’s pitching. Alabama’s staff — led by SEC Pitcher of the Year Jocelyn Briski and standout freshman Vic Moten — owns the second-best team ERA in the country at 1.60 and holds opponents to a .173 average. Notably, SE Louisiana and Belmont rank fourth and fifth in the nation in ERA at 1.67 and 1.82, respectively. Bruins ace Maya Johnson, the No. 3 overall pick in the AUSL Draft, has tallied an eye-popping 381 strikeouts on the year, 102 more than the next player on the leaderboard, and leads the nation in ERA at 0.66. While the Tide’s bats were quiet in the SEC tournament championship game vs. Texas, it’ll be interesting to see how stars like slugger Brooke Wells — the team leader in average (.404), homers (22), RBIs (61) and OPS (1.449) — Alexis Pupillo and Marlie Giles approach this challenge.

With a 37-17 record, LSU snagged the final Regional hosting spot thanks to its challenging nonconference and SEC schedule, as well as upsets over Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Arizona during the season. These Tigers can get feisty, especially with workhorse Jayden Heavener in the circle, and they are very much a chaos-by-committee offense led by Tori and Kylee Edwards (unrelated). However, they’ll face a tough task against Virginia Tech, which many argue was snubbed from the No. 16 seed. The Hokies feature a complete lineup filled with athletes who can also rack up runs via the rally, but the two stars are Emma Mazzarone (168 Ks) and Bree Carrico (1.63 ERA) in the circle. They’ll be coming in hot with a vengeance.

Predicted winners: Alabama and Virginia Tech

Super Regional prediction: Alabama over Virginia Tech

Los Angeles Regional

2. UCLA (No. 8 overall)

3. South Carolina

Cal State Fullerton

California Baptist

Tallahassee Regional

3. Florida State (No. 9 overall)

4. UCF

Jacksonville State

Stetson

UCLA is having a historic slugging season. Senior Megan Grant hit her 38th bomb last weekend, breaking the 31-year-old NCAA single-season record, while classmate Jordan Woolery has 33 and a national-best 107 RBIs. The Bruins broke Oklahoma’s NCAA home run record with a staggering 182, thanks in part to breakout freshman Bri Alejandre (21). In the circle, though, Taylor Tinsley (2.87) shoulders a heavy load. No other UCLA pitcher has an ERA below 5.86. The Gamecocks have a star pitcher in Jori Heard (1.95), but they hit a modest .283 at the plate with just 57 home runs. Watch out for Cal State Fullerton, which opened the season with a two-game split against South Carolina and later took Oklahoma to extras.

Florida State coach Lonni Alameda led a freshman-heavy squad to both the ACC regular-season and conference tourney titles. It helped to have the potential National Player of the Year, shortstop Isa Torres, who ranks third nationally with a .542 average and 16 home runs, and committed no errors all season. Jaysoni Beachum is a .404 hitter. The Noles also boast ACC Pitcher of the Year Jazzy Francik (1.75 ERA) and a solid No. 2 in Ashtyn Danley (2.04), who’s also FSU’s fourth-leading hitter. UCF finished fourth in the Big 12 with series wins over Oklahoma State and Arizona State but did not fare well in big nonconference games. Jax State dominated Conference USA at 24-3 but lost its only three games to P4 foes.

Predicted winners: UCLA and Florida State

Super Regional prediction: Florida State over UCLA

Fayetteville Regional

2. Arkansas (No. 5 overall)

3. Washington

South Florida

Fordham

Durham Regional

3. Duke (No. 12 overall)

4. Arizona

Marshall

Howard

According to some Arkansas fans on social media, the Hogs didn’t get their flowers during the selection show. Which is fair — the Razorbacks had the toughest schedule and the No. 1 RPI for much of the season, and they truly earned their No. 5 overall seed. Led by Robyn Herron in the circle, who pitched to a 1.98 ERA with 166 strikeouts, Arkansas claimed series wins over Georgia, Florida, Mississippi State and Texas during SEC play. With AUSL draftee Dakota Kennedy, Tianna Bell and Ella McDowell as a three-headed monster in the lineup, the Hogs are capable of exploding on offense. Given Washington’s downward trajectory with three series losses (two of which were sweeps) to end the season, as well as a second-round Big Ten tournament loss to Indiana, many assume this will be an easy path for Arkansas.

Duke is another squad that had a rollercoaster start to the year with some surprising upset losses, but the Blue Devils rounded into form in ACC play. With the offensive capabilities of Aminah Vega, D’Auna Jennings, Jessica Oakland and Tyrina Jones, the Devils are set up for fireworks and multi-run innings. They were shut out just once this season, against Virginia Tech in the ACC semifinals. With coach Marissa Young at the helm, it wouldn’t be surprising if they came out swinging to prove they belong and return to the WCWS for the first time since 2024. Once again, it really comes down to the pitching for Duke, as Cassidy Curd and company in the circle are prone to giving up a lot of runs. Against an Arizona squad that has some pop with Big 12 Player of the Year Sydney Stewart, they’ll have to bring it if the Devils want to advance.

Predicted winners: Arkansas and Duke

Super Regional prediction: Arkansas over Duke

Lincoln Regional

1. Nebraska (No. 4 overall)

2. Louisville

Grand Canyon

South Dakota

Stillwater Regional

4. Oklahoma State (No. 13 overall)

5. Stanford

Princeton

Eastern Illinois

Longtime Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle has the pieces to reach her first Women’s College World Series since 2013. Her team went 23-1 in Big Ten play. Two-way star Jordy Frahm is the Huskers’ leader in batting average (.426) and homers (19) while also ranking fifth nationally in ERA (1.24). Alexis Jensen (2.58) is a reliable second option in the circle, and the whole lineup can hit. But it’s a tough Regional. Louisville finished 18-6 in the ACC, led by a trio of .400-plus hitters in Madison Pickens, Chelsea Mack and Bri Despines. Meanwhile, 52-6 Grand Canyon is the highest-rated mid-major in the nation at No. 26 in the RPI.

Oklahoma State was one of the hottest teams in the sport down the stretch. The Cowgirls won 20 of their last 24 regular-season games, including nonconference wins over Texas and Oklahoma. Pitcher Ruby Meylan is a workhorse, notching a 2.11 ERA while working 222 innings, most of any Power 4 pitcher. They’re not a big-hitting team, though, ranking outside of the top 50 in batting average and slugging percentage. Coincidentally, Stanford opened its new stadium this season by hosting Oklahoma State, winning both games. AUSL Golden Ticket recipient Taryn Kern (.387, 18 homers) leads a lineup with six veterans who reached the 2024 WCWS semifinals. Pitcher Zoe Prystajko led the ACC with 198 strikeouts.

Predicted winners: Nebraska and Stanford

Super Regional prediction: Nebraska over Stanford

Norman Regional

1. Oklahoma (No. 3 overall)

2. Kansas

Michigan

Binghamton

Eugene Regional

4. Oregon (No. 14 overall)

5. Mississippi State

Saint Mary’s

Idaho State

If anybody saw Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso’s reactions while the Sooners fell to Georgia in the SEC tournament semifinals, you’d know this team is about to return to Love’s Field on a different level. “We are going to press you every day throughout the entire practice to the point of exhaustion,” Gasso said at that postgame news conference. Everybody knows that this lineup is stacked — especially with the nation’s best team batting average at .389 — starting with an offensive firecracker in Kai Minor in the leadoff spot along with Ella Parker, Gabby Garcia and of course Kendall Wells. Wells led the country in homers for much of the season in pursuit of Laura Espinoza’s record and could be a game-changer with one swing on this stage. But really, it’s down to the pitching at this point in the season, and it starts with Audrey Lowry.

Oregon softball is no stranger to postseason success. After an up-and-down start to the season with some surprising losses in nonconference play, the Ducks found their rhythm en route to a second-place finish in the Big Ten, backed by a series win over UCLA. Lindsey Grein, who has a 1.05 WHIP and 195 strikeouts, led Oregon to Oklahoma City last year, and she has what it takes to do it again, especially with the help of stars Elon Butler (.413 average, 18 HRs) and Amari Harper (an AUSL draftee, .404 average) leading the way offensively.

Predicted winners: Oklahoma and Oregon

Super Regional prediction: Oklahoma over Oregon

Gainesville Regional

2. Florida (No. 6 overall)

3. Texas State

Georgia Tech

Florida A&M

Lubbock Regional

3. Texas Tech (No. 11 overall)

4. Ole Miss

Boston University

Marist

Florida finished third in the SEC with a 17-7 conference record, though it faced only one of the other top six teams (Tennessee) during the regular season. The lineup is fearsome, led by .443 hitter Taylor Shumaker and two Golden Ticket honorees, catcher Jocelyn Erickson and infielder Kenleigh Cahalan. But the Gators lean heavily on one arm, All-SEC pitcher Keagan Rothrock (2.55 ERA). Enter Texas State, which has shown it can hang with the best. Ace Madison Azua (1.90 ERA) shut out third-ranked Texas Tech on April 15, as well as Clemson before that. The Bobcats also upset Texas A&M. But their team batting average is just .283. If Florida gets upset, it probably won’t be against Georgia Tech, which went just 8-16 away from home.

Poor schedule strength relegated star-studded Texas Tech to a No. 11 seed, but sportsbooks still consider the Red Raiders one of the top title contenders. One obvious reason why: NiJaree Canady (1.24 ERA). The sport’s most dominant pitcher the past three seasons led Tech to within one win of a national championship in 2025, and now she doesn’t have to go at it alone. UCLA transfer Kaitlyn Terry is not only Tech’s leading hitter at .471 but has a 1.30 ERA in the circle. Mia Williams and Jackie Lis have 39 homers between them. Ole Miss made a surprise run to last year’s WCWS but lost the majority of that squad. Madi George (.385, 21 HRs) is a complete hitter, but the Rebels’ pitching has underwhelmed.

Predicted winners: Texas State and Texas Tech

Super Regional prediction: Texas Tech over Texas State

Knoxville Regional

2. Tennessee (No. 7 overall)

3. Virginia

Indiana

Northern Kentucky

Athens Regional

3. Georgia (No. 10 overall)

4. Clemson

UNC Greensboro

College of Charleston

Entering the SEC tournament, Vols coach Karen Weekly and company walked onto the field donning shirts with one word on them: “Dominate.” But they didn’t, losing to Ole Miss, 4-1, in the second round. Throughout this entire season, we’ve seen what this Tennessee team is capable of, especially with the three-headed monster that is Karlyn Pickens, Sage Mardjetko and Erin Nuwer in the circle. With the top pitching staff in the country, run prevention hasn’t been the problem for the Vols; it’s the offense. Tennessee’s bats are vulnerable to droughts, but Ella Dodge, Emma Clarke and sisters Alannah and Gabby Leach can bring it at the plate. Luckily, they’re facing a familiar foe in Virginia, which was in the Knoxville Regional in 2024 and is a common nonconference opponent for the Vols. They just have to put it all together.

If a regular-season series win over Florida and a thrilling victory over Oklahoma in the SEC tournament were any indication, the Bulldogs can swing it. The trio of Jaydyn Goodwin, Sarah Gordon and Tyler Ellison has been hot at the plate all year, and shortstop Emily Digby is getting going at just the right time. Yet, with another feisty team in the Regional in Clemson and a surprise CAA champion College of Charleston in the mix, it’ll come down to just how dominant Randi Roelling, Presley Harrison and Addisen Fisher can be in the circle. Fisher didn’t make any appearances during the conference tournament, so we’ll see if she’s ready to go on Friday.

Predicted winners: Tennessee and Georgia

Super Regional prediction: Georgia over Tennessee

Austin Regional

1. Texas (No. 2 overall)

2. Wisconsin

Baylor

Wagner

College Station Regional

4. Texas A&M (No. 15 overall)

5. Arizona State

McNeese

UConn

The defending national champion Longhorns looked mortal in April, dropping SEC series to Georgia, Oklahoma and Arkansas and a midweek game to Oklahoma State. But they put that behind them to win the SEC tournament, pounding Alabama 7-1 in the championship game to jump up the committee’s seed list. Texas is led by SEC Player of the Year Katie Stewart, who is hitting .434 with 25 home runs, All-American catcher Reese Atwood and last year’s WCWS ace, Teagan Kavan, who’s struck out 207 batters. Though Wisconsin raised some eyebrows with its 11-9 win over Oregon in last week’s Big Ten quarterfinals, it then lost 19-5 to UCLA. Baylor, meanwhile, went 3-16 against RPI Top-25 foes. In other words, Texas should still cruise through this Regional.

Texas A&M is looking to redeem itself after becoming the first No. 1 overall seed to get knocked out in a Regional when it fell to Liberty last year. The Aggies are led by feared sluggers Mya Perez, who is hitting .452, and Micaela Wark, whose 68 RBIs rank third in the SEC. Kennedy Powell is hitting .419 and has 17 steals. The concern here is inconsistent pitching, as A&M’s 3.61 team ERA is 12th in the SEC. Arizona State, on the other hand, has a bona fide ace in Kenzie Brown, an AUSL Golden Ticket recipient. The Sun Devils blew through last week’s conference tournament, knocking off Arizona and Oklahoma State, then blanking No. 1 seed Texas Tech 4-0 in the championship game. On the season, though, they finished 11-13 in the Big 12.

Predicted winners: Texas and Texas A&M

Super Regional prediction: Texas over Texas A&M

National champion predictions:

Molly: I’m not saying this just to be that person, but I really do think this could be anybody’s year to win it all at the Women’s College World Series. We’ve seen so many surprises and back-and-forth series this year, and I don’t think this tournament will be any different, especially with how much the game has relied on the long ball lately. No matter how badly Patty Gasso and the Sooners want to be back on top, I don’t know if their pitching can get them there — the same goes for UCLA. While I’d personally love to see seniors like NiJaree Canady, Karlyn Pickens or Jordy Frahm go out on top as well, I think Texas showed enough in the SEC tournament for me to believe it has the personnel and grit it takes to go back-to-back here. Longhorns it is!

Stew: I don’t care where they’re seeded — I can’t pick against Texas Tech. We’ve already seen NiJaree Canady’s WCWS dominance for three years running, as she took Stanford to back-to-back semifinals and Texas Tech to the championship series last season. Yes, she finally gave out in that last game against Texas, but that’s hardly a concern this year with the addition of Kaitlyn Terry. The combo of that pitching tandem and the Red Raiders’ powerful lineup is hard to top. The one other team that may fit that category: Nebraska. It would be a heck of a story for Jordy Frahm to lead her home-state school to a national title in her last season. But for now, I’ll say Texas Tech over Nebraska in the championship series.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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