College softball bracket projections: Final predictions for NCAA regional hosts, national seeds

There were a few surprises in college softball conference tournaments over the weekend that could have huge seeding implications for the 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament bracket reveal.

The full 64-team tournament will be revealed Sunday, May 10, after conference tournament championship games conclude on May 9 and 10. The NCAA selection committee will seed teams 1-32, with the top 16 seeds earning the right of hosting the regional round at their home stadium. Nos. 1-8 will also host the Super Regional round, should they advance.

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Arizona State pitcher Kenzie Brown tossed a shutout to take down top-seeded Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament, showing the Sun Devils will be a tough out in regionals if they don’t earn a national seed. Oklahoma, meanwhile, the No. 1-ranked team heading into the weekend, was upset by Georgia in the SEC Tournament, potentially pushing the Sooners down a few spots.

Elsewhere, Texas took down Alabama 7-1 in the SEC Softball Tournament final, putting the Longhorns in strong position to potentially earn a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Softball Tournament.

Here’s a look at USA TODAY’s final college softball bracket projections on Selection Sunday:

1. Texas (42-10)

2. Alabama (49-6)

3. Oklahoma (48-8)

4. Nebraska (46-6)

5. Arkansas (42-11)

6. Florida (48-10)

7. Tennessee (42-10)

8. UCLA (47-8)

9. Texas Tech (52-6)

10. Florida State (49-8)

11. Georgia (38-18)

12. Duke (39-14)

13. LSU (37-17)

14. Oklahoma State (38-15)

15. Oregon (40-12)

16. Texas A&M (36-17)

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Texas takes over the No. 1 seed from Oklahoma after defeating Alabama for the SEC Softball Tournament championship. The Longhorns (No. 4 in the NCAA’s Rating Percentage Index) lead the country with 20 Quad 1 wins this season, and picked up another resume booster after dominating the Crimson Tide 7-1 for the conference title.

Alabama also has a real case at No. 1 overall, though: The Crimson Tide dominated Arkansas (No. 1 in RPI) and Florida (No. 5 in RPI) to reach the SEC championship game, has a 15-4 mark in Quad 1 games and is No. 2 in RPI. The NCAA committee will have a tough decision when choosing its top seed.

Oklahoma was the favorite to earn the top seed, until it fell to Georgia 10-5 in its first game of the SEC Tournament, which coach Patty Gasso said was due to there being “a disconnect” with the team. Regardless, the Sooners will land one of the top seeds and look to regroup after the disappointing showing, and it doesn’t hurt they have a 2-1 record against Texas this season, with all three of those games coming on the road.

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Nebraska, No. 6 in USA TODAY’s most recent projections, moves up to No. 4 after dominating UCLA in the Big Ten championship. The Cornhuskers, who finished 2026 with a 26-1 record against conference foes, defeated the Bruins 7-2 to move to 45-6 on the season with a 9-5 record in Quad 1 games and a No. 3 ranking in RPI.

Texas Tech also drops a spot in our projections after being shut out by Arizona State in the Big 12 championship, and Virginia Tech narrowly misses on a regional host bid after falling to Florida State in the ACC Tournament championship.

While Oregon is No. 9 in RPI, the Ducks come in at No. 15 in our projections due to their weaker 5-4 record in Quad 1 games. Its loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament didn’t help, either.

Texas A&M holds onto the final spot despite being upset by Auburn at the SEC Softball Tournament. The Aggies’ 14 Quad 1 wins and No. 17 mark in RPI, plus their No. 7-ranked strength of schedule, keeps them in the conversation for a regional host spot.

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Thirty-one conference champions earn automatic bids to the NCAA Softball Tournament. Here’s the full list:

• America East: Binghamton

• American: South Florida

• ASUN: Stetson

• Atlantic 10: Fordham

• ACC: Florida State

• Big 12: Arizona State

• Big East: Connecticut

• Big Sky: Idaho State

• Big South: USC Upstate

• Big Ten: Nebraska

• Big West: Cal State Fullerton

• CAA: Charleston

• Conference USA: Jacksonville State

• Horizon: Northern Kentucky

• Ivy League: Princeton

• MAAC: TBD

• MAC: Akron

• MEAC: South Carolina State

• Missouri Valley: Belmont

• Mountain West: TBD

• NEC: Wagner

• Ohio Valley: Eastern Illinois

• Patriot: Boston University

• SEC: Texas

• Southern: TBD

• Southland: TBD

• SWAC: TBD

• Summit: South Dakota

• Sun Belt: TBD

• WCC: Saint Mary’s*

• WAC: California Baptist

* No tournament; automatic bid awarded to regular season champion

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College softball bracket projections: Final predictions before reveal