UCF softball will face Jacksonville State in the NCAA Tournament's Tallahassee Regional on May 15. The Knights are aiming to advance to the supers for only the second time in program history.
Key points
UCF softball plays Jacksonville State in NCAA Tournament
Game scheduled for May 15 at 2:30 p.m.
UCF achieved a record 67 home runs this season
Isabella Vega leads the pitching staff with a 17-8 record
UCF has a 38-16-1 overall record this season
Mentioned in this story
TallahasseeBig 12
UCF KnightsJacksonville StateNCAA Tournament
Only 20 Division I softball teams have reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last six seasons, putting UCF in some pretty exclusive company. Three of those previous appearances, however, ended in the regional round with trips to Tallahassee.
UCF returns to the state's capital city again, hoping to survive and advance to supers for just the second time in program history. The Knights, seeded second in the Tallahassee Regional behind host Florida State, square off with Jacksonville State at 2:30 p.m. on May 15.
With a 38-16-1 overall record, and a 14-9-1 mark in the Big 12, the Knights achieved their most regular-season wins and highest league finish since joining in 2023-24. UCF launched a single-season program record 67 home runs; Beth Damon (15), Kendall Yarnell (14), Sierra Humphreys (13), Izzy Mertes (11) and Aubrey Evans (10) each surpassed double digits.
Isabella Vega, chosen to the All-Big 12 first team for the second time in as many seasons, anchors the UCF pitching staff. The Bradenton native has tossed 140⅔ innings, posting a 17-8 record, 2.89 ERA, 98 strikeouts, 11 complete games, five saves and one shutout.
Ava Stuewe and Hildie Dempsey added six wins apiece in the circle, though the latter suffered season-ending ACL and meniscus injuries in March.
Here's an in-depth look at the Knights' potential opponents this weekend, courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Network's beat writers for those respective teams, plus the regional bracket and information for how to watch every game.
Florida State Seminoles, No. 1 seed
Isa Torres celebrates as she hit two home runs for Florida State, who hosted the Florida Gators at JoAnne Graf Field on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Isa Torres celebrates as she hit two home runs for Florida State, who hosted the Florida Gators at JoAnne Graf Field on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Record: 49-8 (21-3, ACC)
: 117-83, 38th appearance
Q&A
What time does UCF softball play Jacksonville State in the NCAA Tournament?
UCF softball will play Jacksonville State at 2:30 p.m. on May 15.
How many home runs did UCF softball hit this season?
UCF softball set a single-season program record with 67 home runs.
Who is the UCF softball team's top pitcher this season?
Isabella Vega is the top pitcher for UCF, with a 17-8 record and a 2.89 ERA.
What is UCF softball's overall record this season?
UCF softball has an overall record of 38-16-1 this season.
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NCAA Tournament history
Leading hitter: Florida State is ranked among the top 10 batting teams in the country, led by junior shortstop Isa Torres in the leadoff spot. The reigning ACC Player of the Year is hitting .542, which ranks third nationally. She is also fourth in the country in total hits with 90 and fourth in on-base percentage at .605. Torres has set the tone for the Seminoles all season, highlighted by a record-setting streak of 16 consecutive hits. She is joined by fellow juniors Jaysoni Beachum and Ashtyn Danley, who round out the team's top three offensive contributors. Danley leads Florida State with 111 RBIs, while Beachum has 101 and ranked 16th in the country in walks per game (.89). Torres has also contributed 16 home runs, while Danley and Beachum have combined for 16.
Leading pitcher: Sophomore right-hander Jazzy Francik has emerged as Florida State's strikeout leader. She was named ACC Player of the Year after compiling a 1.75 ERA, a 22-2 record and 105 strikeouts, and she pitched six no-hitters this season. Danley serves as the second option and has been a reliable closer, leading the staff with four saves. Another pitcher to watch is true freshman Bella Dimitrijevic, the team’s third starting option, who has continued to improve in the circle.
UCF's all-time record vs. Seminoles: 5-26
Last meeting: 8-1 Florida State win, Feb. 16, 2025
Short hops: The Seminoles are hosting a regional for the 12th consecutive season and have advanced in 10 of the past 12 years, underscoring the program’s consistency. … FSU is peaking late, having swept both the ACC regular-season and tournament titles. The team’s success has been driven by timely hitting, reliable pitching and steady defense. … Coach Lonni Alameda’s player development is evident in the rapid growth of the freshmen, complemented by a versatile junior core led by Torres, Beachum and Danley, along with Francik in the circle. … FSU combines postseason experience with ascending young talent, positioning it as a strong contender to win its home regional. A likely Super Regional matchup at UCLA would provide a significant test of the Seminoles’ championship trajectory.
— Peter Holland, Tallahassee Democrat
Jacksonville State Gamecocks, No. 3 seed
Record: 45-14 (24-3 CUSA)
NCAA Tournament history: 13-19, 10th appearance
Leading hitter: Morgan Nowakowski is the spark plug for the Gamecocks' offense. She holds a .358 batting average, second on the team, with 46 runs scored, 42 RBIs, 24 doubles and four home runs. She is slugging .561 on the year.
Leading pitcher: Makenna Moore was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Year, leading the Gamecocks with a 2.52 ERA. She has struck out 113 batters, and opponents are hitting .205 off her this season.
UCF's all-time record vs. Gamecocks: 3-2
Last meeting: 5-0 UCF win, March 2, 2007
Short hops: The Gamecocks dropped a Conference USA semifinal game but responded with back-to-back wins including a comeback win for the title. Jax State will be one of the tougher three seeds to knock out, coming in with a RPI of 36, but it did struggle against the three SEC teams it faced this season, so it will be a tough task to advance out of the regional.
Stetson Hatters, No. 4 seed
Stetson's Nicole Edmiaston (25) won the ASUN Softball Player of the Year award during her first season with the Hatters.
Stetson's Nicole Edmiaston (25) won the ASUN Softball Player of the Year award during her first season with the Hatters.
Record: 36-20 (18-6 ASUN)
NCAA Tournament history: 1-4, third appearance
Leading hitter: Nicole Edmiaston has rewritten the program record book in her first year as a Hatter. After coming over from Florida SouthWestern State, the junior first baseman set new single-season high marks in home runs (22), RBIs (69) and total bases (147). She carries a .465 batting average and a 1.499 OPS. Edmiaston was named ASUN Player of the Year earlier this month.
Leading pitcher: Sophomore right-hander Ava Braswell leads the Hatters with 37 appearances and 152⅔ innings pitched. She holds a staff-best 3.03 ERA and has struck out 63 batters. Her record stands at 19-10 with nine complete games.
UCF's all-time record vs. Hatters: 23-9
Last meeting: 5-3 UCF win, April 15, 2026
Short hops: Stetson blazed through the ASUN Tournament as the No. 2 seed. It knocked off North Florida before handling top-seeded Central Arkansas in back-to-back matchups, capturing its sixth conference title. … The Hatters will make their third NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2014. They have never played outside of the Gainesville Regional. … Stetson faced one of its three Regional opponents during the regular season. It lost to UCF 5-3 on April 15. … This is the Hatters' first above-.500 season since 2018 under coach Frank Griffin. Current leader Shellie Cousins grabbed ASUN Coach of the Year honors last week.
— Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal
Tallahassee Regional schedule
Double elimination from Friday-Sunday (May 15-17) at JoAnne Graf Field at Seminole Softball Complex:
Friday's games
Game 1: Stetson vs. Florida, noon (ESPNU)
Game 2: UCF vs. Jacksonville State, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday's games
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, noon
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 5 p.m.
Sunday's games
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, noon
*Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6, 2:30 p.m.