When does the 2026 NCAA softball season start?
- - When does the 2026 NCAA softball season start?
Mitchell Northam, USA TODAYJanuary 9, 2026 at 3:05 AM
0
To put it simply, the 2025 NCAA softball season was awesome.
Fans tuned in to see Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady strike out opponents, to check out Bri Ellis of Arkansas put up hitting numbers comparable to Barry Bonds, and to watch Jordy Bahl — now Jordy Frahm after her recent marriage — play both ways like Shohei Ohtani for Nebraska.
Viewership records for the Women’s College World Series were shattered, as Game 3 of the championship series between Texas and Texas Tech drew an average audience of 2.4 million people, making it the most-watched NCAA softball game ever on ESPN platforms.
If you were one of the millions who watched the Longhorns beat the Red Raiders, you might be wondering: When does the 2026 college softball season start?
The answer is Thursday, Feb. 5.
Several teams who advanced to the College Softball World Series will be in action that day. Ole Miss will take on Cal State Fullerton, Tennessee faces BYU, Texas Tech opens against McNeese, and Oklahoma will battle against Arizona State.
Texas, the reigning national champions, will open its season on Friday against Nebraska at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio.
While Texas will be a team to pay attention to, so will the team they beat in the World Series, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders return Canady, the sport’s best pitcher, and added many of the top players available in the transfer portal. That group includes UCLA ace pitcher Kaitlyn Terry, Tennessee third baseman Taylor Pannell, Ohio State slugger Jasmyn Burns, and Florida second baseman Mia Williams.
Seeing if the Red Raiders and their loaded roster can make it back to the world series will be a storyline to watch all season long.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does the college softball season start in 2026?
Source: “AOL Sports”
