Week 9 Top 25 and how to watch

Texas Tech is now in the top spot. The Red Raiders are hot, winning their last 13 games, while Texas, which dropped from No. 1 to No. 4, has lost three of its last four. But there will be little time for the Longhorns to recover. They have a big three-game series this weekend against No. 2 Oklahoma, which is on track to have the best season at the plate in college softball history. Closer to the bottom of the top 25, Arizona State dropped out of the rankings while South Carolina found its was back in.

Player to watch

Elon Butler, OF, Oregon

The senior earned Big Ten player of the week honors after notching six hits in Oregon's extra-innings win over Iowa. In that game, she also became the first player in Oregon history to hit for the cycle. Over the three-game series against Iowa, Butler hit .583.

Top moment

Still thinking about this @Avacarroll2023 play 😱#NCAASoftball #SCTop10 x 🎥 ACCNX / @UWSoftball

pic.twitter.com/WtFHahvApI

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) April 3, 2026

This diving catch-into-double-play by Washington outfielder Ava Carroll played no small part in Washington's tough win over then-No. 24 Stanford.

Series to watch

No. 2 Oklahoma at No. 4 Texas
Friday at 7 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday at 8 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at 2 p.m., ESPN

Perhaps the most consequential series of the regular season is here. The rivals will face off with the country's top ranking -- maybe -- on the line. Texas is coming off two consecutive uncharacteristic losses to Alabama while the home run-hitting Sooners have won five straight.

How to watch

Everything college softball on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big 12 Now on ESPN+, ESPN3, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX is accessible here, in addition to being available on the ESPN App.

What's the full schedule?

You can check out the complete scoreboard here to stay up to date this spring.

Subscribe to ESPN | Stream college softball on ESPN

Week 9 Top 25

Here is the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking, plus each team's record and next game.
All times Eastern.

1. Texas Tech

Previous rank: 2
Record: 38-2

Next game: Friday at Utah, 7 p.m., ESPN+

2. Oklahoma

Previous rank: 3
Record: 38-3

Next game: Friday at Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN2

3. Alabama

Previous rank: 5
Record: 35-3

Next game: Tuesday vs. South Alabama, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

4. Texas

Previous rank: 1
Record: 32-4

Next game: Friday vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m., ESPN2

5. Nebraska

Previous rank: 4
Record: 30-6

Next game: Friday at Wisconsin, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network

6. Arkansas

Previous rank: 6
Record: 33-5

Next game: Friday at Mississippi State, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

7. Florida

Previous rank: 7
Record: 36-5

Next game: Wednesday vs. USF, 7 p.m., ESPN2

8. UCLA

Previous rank: 9
Record: 33-5

Next game: Tuesday at Cal State Fullerton, 9 p.m., ESPN+

9. Florida State

Previous rank: 10
Record: 35-4

Next game: Wednesday at Santa Clara, 9 p.m., ESPN+

10. Tennessee

Previous rank: 8
Record: 32-6

Next game: Tuesday vs. ETSU, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

11. Arizona

Previous rank: 13
Record: 29-9

Next game: Friday at LSU, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

12. Virginia Tech

Previous rank: 12
Record: 33-5

Next game: Tuesday at Radford, 5 p.m., ESPN+

13. Texas A&M

Previous rank: 15
Record: 26-12

Next game: Wednesday vs. McNeese, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

14. Georgia

Previous rank: 11
Record: 28-10

Next game: Wednesday vs. USC-Upstate, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

15. Mississippi State

Previous rank: 16
Record: 33-9

Next game: Friday vs. Arkansas, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

16. Duke

Previous rank: 19
Record: 28-11

Next game: Wednesday at Liberty, 3 p.m., ESPN+

17. Oregon

Previous rank: 18
Record: 29-9

Next game: Friday at Maryland, 6 p.m., Big Ten Network

18. LSU

Previous rank: 20
Record: 25-13

Next game: Tuesday vs. Central Arkansas, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

19. Washington

Previous rank: 14
Record: 31-9

Next game: Friday vs. Minnesota, 10 p.m., Big Ten Network

20. Oklahoma State

Previous rank: 21
Record: 25-10

Next game: Wednesday at Wichita State, 7 p.m., ESPN+

21. Virginia

Previous rank: 17
Record: 31-6

Next game: Wednesday vs. Louisiana, 6 p.m., ACC Extra

22. UCF

Previous rank: 25
Record: 30-10-1

Next game: Friday at Arizona State, 9 p.m., ESPN+

23. Stanford

Previous rank: 24
Record: 22-12

Next game: Tuesday at UC Davis, 6 p.m., ESPN+

24. South Carolina

Previous rank: NR
Record: 23-17

Next game: Friday vs. Florida, 6 p.m., SEC Network

25. Grand Canyon

Previous rank: 22
Record: 37-4

Next game: Wednesday at Fresno State, 3 p.m.