When, who Wisconsin softball will play in 2026 NCAA Tournament

MADISON – For the first time since 2022, the Wisconsin Badgers will be competing in the NCAA softball tournament.

The Badgers earned an at-large berth and will face Baylor in the first round on May 15 in Austin, Texas, the NCAA revealed on May 10. The first game will be at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

UW is the No. 8 seed in its quadrant of the bracket and has the second-best seed in its regional behind host Texas – the No. 1 seed in its part of the bracket, the No. 2 national overall seed and the reigning national champion.

Wisconsin earned its spot in the tournament after going 32-19 overall and 14-10 in Big Ten play. The Badgers reached the Big Ten semifinals after upsetting Oregon in the quarterfinals. (The Ducks ended up being the No. 14 overall seed.)

Jaclyn Showalter of the Wisconsin softball team drives a ball against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament on May 6, 2026. Showalter homered against the Boilermakers to tie the game and added another blast in an upset of Oregon one day later.