The Southeastern Conference received six of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship when the 64-team field was revealed on Sunday, including Alabama at No. 1, defending national champion Texas at No. 2 and Oklahoma at No. 3. The SEC got 12 of its 15 teams into the field. Regional play begins Friday, with the top 16 seeds hosting. The eight teams advancing from super regionals will compete in the Women's College World Series starting May 28 in Oklahoma City. Texas returns pitcher Teagan Kavan, the most outstanding player in last year's Women's College World Series.
UCLA slugger Megan Grant has set the single-season home run record for Division I softball. She hit her 38th of the season on Saturday. Grant drove an 0-2 pitch from Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm deep to left-center field for a solo home run, giving UCLA a 2-0 lead in the third inning of the Big Ten Championship Game. The senior broke the record she shared for one day with Arizona’s Laura Espinoza, who hit 37 home runs in 1995. Grant had tied the record on Friday. Nebraska defeated UCLA 7-2 to win the conference championship.
FILE - UCLAs' Jordan Woolery (15) runs the bases during an NCAA softball game on Friday, March 6, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John McCoy, File)
FILE - UCLAs' Megan Grant (43) runs the bases during an NCAA softball game on Friday, March 6, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John McCoy, File)
FILE - Oklahoma catcher Kendall Wells (1) during an NCAA softball game against Duke on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Cathedral City, Calif. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher, FIle)
FILE - Texas Tech starting pitcher/relief pitcher Nijaree Canady (24) during an NCAA softball game against CS Fullerton on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Cathedral City, Calif. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher,File)