The Oklahoma Sooners reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Softball rankings, surpassing the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This marks the fifth consecutive week with a different team at the top of the rankings.
Key points
Oklahoma Sooners reclaimed No. 1 in NCAA Softball rankings
Nebraska Cornhuskers dropped to No. 2
Oklahoma has a record of 46-6 and 18-3 in conference play
Five consecutive weeks with a different No. 1 team
Oklahoma swept Georgia Bulldogs in a top-25 series
Different No. 1 team atop NCAA Softball top 25 rankings in stretch run
Week 12 of the 2026 NCAA softball season may not have featured as much craziness as a week prior when each of the top three teams in the NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll lost midweek games.
Coach Patty Gasso's team also made another big jump from last week: Oklahoma (46-6, 18-3) moved past the Alabama Crimson Tide (44-5, 16-4) in the SEC standings with only one full weekend series remaining in conference play. The Sooners swept a top-25 series against the Georgia Bulldogs over the weekend in Norman.
Alabama, meanwhile, stayed at No. 3 in the rankings after suffering a 2-0 loss to the No. 8 Tennessee Lady Vols in Knoxville on Sunday, just one day after the Tide opened the series with a 12-0 shutout win on Rocky Top.
Alabama-Tennessee will meet in the series finale Monday. Afterwards, coach Patrick Murphy's team will close out the regular season against South Carolina (29-22, 7-14) at Rhoads Stadium beginning Thursday. Oklahoma concludes regular-season play with a trip to Texas A&M (35-14, 15-6).
The SEC Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 5 in Lexington, Kentucky.
Q&A
Why did the Oklahoma Sooners move to No. 1 in the NCAA Softball rankings?
The Oklahoma Sooners moved to No. 1 after sweeping a top-25 series against the Georgia Bulldogs and surpassing the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the rankings.
What is the current record of the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2026 NCAA softball season?
The Oklahoma Sooners currently have a record of 46-6 with an 18-3 conference record.
How many weeks has there been a different No. 1 team in the NCAA Softball rankings?
There has been a different No. 1 team in the NCAA Softball rankings for five consecutive weeks.
What teams are competing for the top spots in NCAA Softball rankings?
The top teams competing for the rankings include the Oklahoma Sooners, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Georgia Bulldogs.
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Softball America top 25 rankings: race for OKC wide open entering regular season's final week
Elsewhere near the top of the rankings, No. 4 Texas Tech and UCLA rounded out the top five of Softball America's rankings after big weekends by both teams.
The Red Raiders (47-4, 19-2) finished a perfect 5-0 week by completing a three-game sweep of No. 24 Arizona State (35-16, 8-13) in Tempe. With Sunday's 7-1 victory over the Sun Devils, Texas Tech clinched its second straight Big 12 regular-season championship.
Out west, UCLA ran its win streak to 15 straight with a sweep of former Pac-12 rival Washington over the weekend. The Bruins (44-5, 19-2) enter the final week of the regular season just a game behind Nebraska (40-8, 20-1) in the Big Ten standings. UCLA hosts Oregon (38-10, 18-3) in a three-game series beginning Friday.
The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, have won 15 straight after a sweep of the Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend in Lincoln. Nebraska close out the regular season at Penn State beginning Friday.
Alabama infielder Aubrey Taylor (36) reacts to making it safely to first after a Tennessee error, during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
The sun sets during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Tennessee outfielder Sophia Knight (2) runs to first during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Alabama celebrates a home run during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
A Brooke Wells home run flies over the wall during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Tennessee outfielder Taelyn Holley (27) celebrates making it safely to second base during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens (23) celebrates the end of an inning during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Tennessee takes the field during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Tennessee outfielder Sophia Knight (2) slides safely to second as Alabama infielder Salen Hawkins (47) attempts to tag her out during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) throws a pitch during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Alabama outfielder Ana Roman (21) rounds third base after hitting a home run during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
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Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Alabama infielder Aubrey Taylor (36) reacts to making it safely to first after a Tennessee error, during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
1 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Alabama infielder Aubrey Taylor (36) reacts to making it safely to first after a Tennessee error, during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
2 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
The sun sets during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
3 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Tennessee outfielder Sophia Knight (2) runs to first during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
4 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Alabama celebrates a home run during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
5 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
A Brooke Wells home run flies over the wall during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
6 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Tennessee outfielder Taelyn Holley (27) celebrates making it safely to second base during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
7 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens (23) celebrates the end of an inning during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
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Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Tennessee takes the field during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
9 / 11
Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Tennessee outfielder Sophia Knight (2) slides safely to second as Alabama infielder Salen Hawkins (47) attempts to tag her out during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
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Different No. 1 team atop NCAA Softball top 25 rankings in stretch run
Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (23) throws a pitch during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
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Photos: Alabama softball crushes Tennessee in top-10 series opener
Alabama outfielder Ana Roman (21) rounds third base after hitting a home run during a college softball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 25, 2026.
Alabama softball schedule 2026: Who do Crimson Tide play next?
Alabama concludes its three-game series at Tennessee (39-8, 13-6) at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville in primetime Monday. First pitch for Alabama-Tennessee is 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
The Crimson Tide wrap up the regular season against South Carolina starting Thursday in Tuscaloosa. First pitch for the series opener is 6 p.m. CT. All three games of the series are scheduled to stream on SEC Network+.
Here's a look at Alabama's 2026 SEC softball schedule with final scores and scheduled start times. All times Central.
March 6-8: at Ole Miss (W, 5-3; W, 13-2; W, 2-1)
March 13-15: vs. Arkansas (W, 4-1; L, 14-9; W, 4-1)
March 20-22: at Missouri (W, 2-1; L, 5-2; W, 7-4)
April 2-4: vs. Texas (L, 9-1; W, 11-4; W, 7-4)
April 10-12: at Auburn (W, 1-0; W, 4-0; W, 9-1)
April 17-19: vs. Kentucky (W, 9-0, W, 5-4; W, 4-0)
