Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 NCAA DI softball tournament.
This year's championship bracket will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 10 on ESPN. Games then begin at 16 regional sites on Friday, May 15. After regional and super regional play, the final eight teams will head to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series starting on Thursday, May 28 at Devon Park.
🎟️
Texas is the defending champion after beating Texas Tech in the 2025 championship series.
2026 NCAA softball tournament bracket
Check out this year's NCAA DI softball championship bracket before the 64-team field is announced on Sunday, May 10.
👉 Click or tap to view the interactive bracket
2026 NCAA softball tournament schedule
All times ET- Selection show: Sunday, May 10 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
- Regionals: Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17 | TBA host sites
- Super regionals: Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 24 | TBA host sites
- Women's College World Series: May 28 - June 4/5 | Devon Park in Oklahoma City, OK
- Game 1 | 12 p.m. Thursday, May 28 on ESPN
- Game 2 | 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28 on ESPN
- Game 3 | 7 p.m. Thursday, May 28 on ESPN2
- Game 4 | 9:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28 on ESPN2
- Game 5 | 7 p.m. Friday, May 29 on ESPN2
- Game 6 | 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 29 on ESPN2
- Game 7 | 3 p.m. Saturday, May 30 on ABC
- Game 8 | 7 p.m. Saturday, May 30 on ESPN
- Game 9 | 3 p.m. Sunday, May 31 on ABC
- Game 10 | 7 p.m. Sunday, May 31 on ESPN2
- Game 11 | 12 p.m. Monday, June 1 on ESPN
- Game 12 | 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 1 on ESPN (if necessary)
- Game 13 | 7 p.m. Monday, June 1 on ESPN2
- Game 14 | 9:30 p.m. Monday, June 1 on ESPN2 (if necessary)
- Championship Series Game 1 | 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 on ESPN
- Championship Series Game 2 | 8 p.m. Thursday, June 4 on ESPN
- Championship Series Game 3 | 8 p.m. Friday, June 5 on ESPN (if necessary)
Where is the WCWS?
👀 LOOK BACK: Texas wins the 2025 NCAA DI softball championship
The historic Devon Park holds 13,000 fans and has hosted the WCWS every year since 1990 (with exception to 1996 when the event was held in Columbus, Georgia to preview the Atlanta Olympics). The stadium, which was once known as the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, is set to host the softball portion of the LA Olympics in 2028.
The mecca of college softball is nestled in a town that has nurtured the growth of the sport throughout the years, seeing the likes of Jocelyn Alo, Monic Abbott and Jennie Finch take the field.
NCAA DI softball selection process
The 2026 NCAA DI softball tournament will feature a 64-team field that will be announced during a selection show on Sunday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Thirty-one conferences will be granted an automatic qualification bid while 33 teams have a chance to earn an at-large bid. To be considered, teams must have an overall won-lost record of .500 or better against DI competition. The DI softball committee championship subcommittee will also evaluate teams' strength of schedule and others measures to be selected.
NCAA DI softball championship history
Texas captured the 2025 national title with a decisive 10–4 victory over Texas Tech in Game 3, securing the Longhorns’ first championship in program history. UCLA remains the all-time leader with 13 titles, most recently winning in 2019, while Oklahoma holds the record for the longest championship streak, claiming four consecutive titles from 2021 to 2024.
| Year | Champion (Record) | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Texas (56-12) | Mike White | 10-4 | Texas Tech | Oklahoma City |
| 2024 | *Oklahoma (59-7) | Patty Gasso | 8-4 | Texas | Oklahoma City |
| 2023 | *Oklahoma (61-1) | Patty Gasso | 3-1 | Florida State | Oklahoma City |
| 2022 | *Oklahoma (59-3) | Patty Gasso | 10-5 | Texas | Oklahoma City |
| 2021 | Oklahoma (56-4) | Patty Gasso | 5-1 | Florida State | Oklahoma City |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | *UCLA (56-6) | Kelly Inouye-Perez | 5-4 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City |
| 2018 | *Florida State (58-12) | Lonni Alameda | 8-3 | Washington | Oklahoma City |
| 2017 | *Oklahoma (61-9) | Patty Gasso | 5-4 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2016 | Oklahoma (57-8) | Patty Gasso | 2-1 | Auburn | Oklahoma City |
| 2015 | Florida (60-7) | Tim Walton | 4-1 | Michigan | Oklahoma City |
| 2014 | *Florida (55-12) | Tim Walton | 6-3 | Alabama | Oklahoma City |
| 2013 | *Oklahoma (57-4) | Patty Gasso | 4-0 | Tennessee | Oklahoma City |
| 2012 | Alabama (60-8) | Patrick Murphy | 5-4 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City |
| 2011 | *Arizona State (60-6) | Clint Myers | 7-2 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2010 | *UCLA (50-11) | Kelly Inouye-Perez | 15-9 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 2009 | Washington (51-12) | Heather Tarr | 3-2 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2008 | *Arizona State (66-5) | Clint Myers | 11-0 | Texas A&M | Oklahoma City |
| 2007 | Arizona (50-14-1) | Mike Candrea | 5-0 | Tennessee | Oklahoma City |
| 2006 | Arizona (54-11) | Mike Candrea | 5-0 | Northwestern | Oklahoma City |
| 2005 | Michigan (65-7) | Carol Hutchins | 4-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 2004 | UCLA (47-9) | Sue Enquist | 3-1 | California | Oklahoma City |
| 2003 | UCLA (54-7) | Sue Enquist | 1-0 | California | Oklahoma City |
| 2002 | California (56-19) | Diane Ninemire | 6-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 2001 | *Arizona (65-4) | Mike Candrea | 1-0 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 2000 | *Oklahoma (66-8) | Patty Gasso | 3-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1999 | *UCLA (63-6) | Sue Enquist | 3-2 | Washington | Oklahoma City |
| 1998 | Fresno State (52-11) | Margie Wright | 1-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1997 | Arizona (61-5) | Mike Candrea | 10-2 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1996 | *Arizona (58-9) | Mike Candrea | 6-4 | Washington | Columbus, Ga. |
| 1995 | *#UCLA (50-6) | Sharron Backus | 4-2 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1994 | *Arizona (64-3) | Mike Candrea | 2-0 | Cal State Northridge | Oklahoma City |
| 1993 | Arizona (44-8) | Mike Candrea | 1-0 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1992 | *UCLA (54-2) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1991 | Arizona (56-16) | Mike Candrea | 5-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1990 | UCLA (62-7) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Fresno State | Oklahoma City |
| 1989 | *UCLA (48-4) | Sharron Backus | 1-0 | Fresno State | Sunnyvale, Calif. |
| 1988 | UCLA (53-8) | Sharron Backus | 3-0 | Fresno State | Sunnyvale, Calif. |
| 1987 | Texas A&M (56-8) | Bob Brock | 4-1 | UCLA | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1986 | *Cal State Fullerton (57-9-1) | Judi Garman | 3-0 | Texas A&M | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1985 | UCLA (41-9) | Sharron Backus | 2-1 | Nebraska | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1984 | UCLA (45-6-1) | Sharron Backus | 1-0 | Texas A&M | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1983 | Texas A&M (41-11) | Bob Brock | 2-0 | Cal State Fullerton | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1982 | *UCLA (33-7-2) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Fresno State | Omaha, Neb. |
