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The NCAA softball tournament entered the weekend with 16 teams still alive, and that total will be down to eight before long.
The start of the super regionals means the Women's College World Series is on the horizon, and there is no shortage of familiar faces with a chance to make a championship run.
The SEC could be well represented in the WCWS, with nine of the 16 super regionals teams coming from the conference and only two super regionals matchups not featuring an SEC program. Of last year's eight WCWS teams, only two — Oregon and Ole Miss — fell short of super regionals.
The Sporting News is tracking which teams have earned Women's College World Series bids. Follow along as the super regionals determine the bracket.
MORE: Updated schedule, scores for NCAA softball tournament
Women's College World Series bracket
The 2026 Women's College World Series bracket will be determined during the super regionals round, which runs from May 21-24. The table below will be updated as the eight finalists clinch their bids.
| Team | Record |
NCAA softball super regionals bracket
Here's a look at the eight super regionals matchups that will determine who goes to the Women's College World Series. All start times are listed in Eastern Time.
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 16 LSU
Top overall seed Alabama didn't allow a single run during the regionals, outscoring opponents 20-0, and the Crimson Tide will look to keep that momentum going against SEC rival LSU with star arms Jocelyn Briski and Vic Moten leading the way. LSU outscored opponents 23-2 over its first three games of the tournament, rolling past Virginia Tech twice to secure this matchup.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 7 p.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 7 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
No. 2 Texas vs. Arizona State
The reigning national champion Longhorns defeated Wagner, Wisconsin and Baylor by a combined score of 25-1 in the regionals. Slugger Katie Stewart, with 27 home runs, leads the way for Texas' offense, but there are fewer stars brighter than Teagan Kavan after she won Most Outstanding Player honors in last year's Women's College World Series. Arizona State knocked off No. 15 Texas A&M twice in the regionals and can become a Cinderella story by taking two against the Longhorns.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 9 p.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 7 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
No. 3 Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State
Oklahoma saw its championship streak end last spring, but the Sooners have revenge on their mind after beating Binghamton, Kansas and Michigan by a combined score of 28-1 in the regionals. With 37 home runs, Kendall Wells is one of the nation's most feared bats while Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering help form a dangerous lineup. SEC rival Mississippi State narrowly escaped St. Mary's in the regionals opener but coasted to back-to-back wins to secure a date with favored Oklahoma.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 1 p.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 1 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State
Ranked as the top team in the country by most polls at the end of the regular season, Nebraska is looking for its first Women's College World Series appearance in 13 years. The Cornhuskers had a hard time scoring runs in the regional but still went unbeaten with ace Jordyn Frahm pitching at an elite level. Oklahoma State is looking to get back to the WCWS after its streak of five consecutive bids was snapped last season; the Sooners beat Stanford twice to reach the super regionals.
- Game 1: Thursday, May 21 | 9 p.m.
- Game 2: Friday, May 22 | 9 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, May 23 | 5 p.m.
No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Duke
Arkansas has yet to reach the Women's College World Series, but the Razorbacks have been knocking on the door for much of the past decade and have an excellent chance this weekend. The Razorbacks coasted through the regionals, while Duke suffered a blowout loss against Arizona but went on to win two games against the Wildcats to keep its season alive.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 12 p.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 5 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
No. 6 Florida vs. No. 11 Texas Tech
Another seeded SEC team, Florida is coming off back-to-back Women's College World Series appearances and could be primed for another. Jocelyn Erickson and Taylor Shumaker lead the way offensively, but pitching is what powered the Gators to two wins over Georgia Tech in the regionals. With NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry at Texas Tech's disposal, however, an expensive Red Raiders roster believes it has the talent advantage.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 11 a.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 2:30 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 10 Georgia
An all-SEC affair, Tennessee is looking to secure its third Women's College World Series appearance in four years but will have to get through a Georgia team that made quick work of all three of its regionals opponents. The Lady Vols are hoping a dominant pitching staff featuring Karlyn Pickens can earn two more wins.
- Game 1: Thursday, May 21 | 7 p.m.
- Game 2: Friday, May 22 | 3 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, May 23 | 11 a.m.
No. 8 UCLA vs. UCF
Unseeded UCF took advantage of Florida State's upset loss to Stetson and won one of two against the Seminoles to reach the super regionals for only the second time in program history. The Knights are hoping for a better result than their men's basketball team's postseason matchup against UCLA after the Bruins piled on the runs in their regional wins but showed some flaws from a pitching standpoint.
- Game 1: Friday, May 22 | 9 p.m.
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | 9 p.m.
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 24 | TBD
Women's College World Series schedule 2026
- Super regionals: May 21-24
- WCWS: May 28-June 5
The Women's College World Series is set to begin Thursday, May 28 with all eight super regionals winners participating. The finals will begin on June 3 and will end on either June 4 or June 5.
All games will be played at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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