The 2026 NAIA softball tournament was the 45th edition of the NAIA softball championship. The 48-team tournament began on May 11 with Opening Round games across ten different sites and concluded with the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia that started on May 21 and ended on May 28.
Madonna (MI) captured their first NAIA softball championship defeating Southeastern (FL) in the championship game 8–4 with Ashley Rosiewicz of Madonna winning the tournament MVP. Madonna went unbeaten in seven tournament games and finished the season with a 52–4 record.
The 48 participating teams were selected from all eligible NAIA teams. 29 teams were awarded automatic bids as either champions and/or runners-up of their conferences, four teams were selected at-large as Opening Round hosts, and 15 teams were selected at-large by the National Selection Committee. Teams were then placed into one of ten pre-determined Opening Round sites, with eight sites consisting of five teams and two sites consisting of four teams, each of which is conducted via a double-elimination tournament. The winners of each of the Opening Round sites will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series.
Tournament procedure A total of 48 teams entered the tournament. 29 automatic bids were determined by either winning their conference's regular season championship, conference tournament, and/or conference tournament runner-up. The other 19 bids were at-large, either by hosting an Opening Round or selected by the NAIA Softball National Selection Committee.
Opening round hosts On May 1, the NAIA announced the ten opening round host sites, which were played from May 11–15.
Venue Location Host Cox Softball Complex Fayette, MO Central Methodist University UC Softball Complex Williamsburg, KY University of the Cumberlands Marilyn D. Sparks Park Columbia, KY Lindsey Wilson University UM Softball Field Mobile, AL University of Mobile Ann Lacy Stadium Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City University Stilwell Stadium Klamath Falls, OR Oregon Tech Bill Smith Ballpark Chickasha, OK University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Diamond Plex Winter Haven, FL Southeastern University Laurel Park Ashland, OR Southern Oregon University Joseph & Nancy Fail Field Hattiesburg, MS William Carey University
Bids Source:
Automatic School Conference Record Berth Last NAIA Appearance Central Methodist (MO) Heart 38–15 Tournament champion 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Columbia (MO) American Midwest 27–13 Tournament champion 2023 (Indianapolis Bracket) Dickinson State (ND) Frontier 40–12 Tournament champion 2024 (Fayette Bracket) Dillard (LA) HBCU 27–14 Tournament champion First appearance Evangel (MO) Kansas 43–9 Regular season champion 2025 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Friends (KS) Kansas 31–20 Tournament runner-up 2025 (Sioux Center Bracket) Georgia Gwinnett Continental 29–22 Tournament champion 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Indiana Tech Wolverine-Hoosier 33–16 Tournament runner-up 2023 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Indiana Wesleyan Crossroads 37–13 Regular season champion 2025 (Marion Bracket) IU Southeast River States 29–21 Tournament champion 2024 (Hattiesburg Bracket) Johnson (TN) Appalachian 31–18 Regular season champion 2025 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Keiser (FL) The Sun 44–8 Tournament champion 2025 (Ashland Bracket) Lindsey Wilson (KY) Mid-South 41–6 Tournament champion 2022 (Marion Bracket) LSU–Alexandria Red River 34–16 Regular season champion 2025 (Fayette Bracket) Madonna (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier 45–4 Regular season champion 2025 (Marion Bracket) Midland (NE) Great Plains 42–14 Regular season champion 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Missouri Baptist Heart 40–12 Regular season champion 2025 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Morningside (IA) Great Plains 30–18 Tournament runner-up 2025 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Oakland City (IN) River States 36–16 Regular season champion First appearance Oklahoma City (OK) Sooner 47–7 Tournament champion 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Ottawa (AZ) (OUAZ) Great Southwest 33–16 Tournament champion 2021 (Fayette Bracket) Our Lady of the Lake (TX) Red River 39–10 Tournament champion 2025 (San Antonio Bracket) Saint Francis (IN) Crossroads 41–12 Tournament champion First appearance Saint Xavier (IL) Chicagoland 47–9 Tournament champion 2025 (Ashland Bracket) Science & Arts (OK) Sooner 44–7 Regular season champion 2025 (Chickasha Bracket) Southern Oregon Cascade 36–11 Tournament champion 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Truett McConnell (GA) Appalachian 30–17 Tournament champion 2021 (Hattiesburg Bracket) William Carey (MS) Southern States 39–12 Tournament champion 2025 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Williams Baptist (AR) American Midwest 41–13 Regular season champion 2016 (LSU–Alexandria Bracket)
At–Large School Conference Record Last NAIA Appearance Arizona Christian Great Southwest 36–13 2025 (Klamath Falls Bracket) Benedictine (KS) Heart 33–18 2024 (Williamsburg Bracket) Blue Mountain Christian (MS) Southern States 38–15 First appearance British Columbia Cascade 27–21 2025 (Fayette Bracket) Campbellsville (KY) Mid-South 31–17 2025 (Fayette Bracket) Coastal Georgia The Sun 37–12 2025 (Marion Bracket) College of Idaho Cascade 34–20 2025 (Ashland Bracket) Cumberlands (KY) Mid-South 36–18 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Dordt (IA) Great Plains 39–12 First appearance Eastern Oregon Cascade 38–11 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Faulkner (AL) Southern States 35–14 2018 (Bowling Green Bracket #2) Grand View (IA) Heart 37–16 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Marian (IN) Crossroads 34–16 2025 NAIA Softball World Series Mobile (AL) Southern States 35–15 2025 (Williamsburg Bracket) Oregon Tech Cascade 41–8 2025 (Klamath Falls Bracket) Southeastern (FL) The Sun 41–13 2025 (Klamath Falls Bracket) St. Thomas (FL) The Sun 31–20 2025 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Tennessee Southern Southern States 30–17 2025 (Fayette Bracket) Texas A&M–Texarkana Red River 37–14 2025 (Williamsburg Bracket)
Opening Round Source:
Ashland Bracket Hosted by Southern Oregon University at Laurel Park
Chickasha Bracket Hosted by the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma at Bill Smith Ballpark
Columbia Bracket Hosted by Lindsey Wilson University at Marilyn D. Sparks Park
Fayette Bracket Hosted by Central Methodist University at Cox Softball Complex
Hattiesburg Bracket Hosted by William Carey University at Joseph & Nancy Fail Field
Klamath Falls Bracket Hosted by Oregon Tech at Stilwell Stadium
Lakeland Bracket Hosted by Southeastern University at Diamond Plex in Winter Haven, FL
Mobile Bracket Hosted by University of Mobile at UM Softball Field
Oklahoma City Bracket Hosted by Oklahoma City University at Ann Lacy Stadium
Williamsburg Bracket Hosted by the University of the Cumberlands at UC Softball Complex
NAIA Softball World Series The NAIA Softball World Series was held at South Commons Complex in Columbus, Georgia from May 21 to 28.
Participants SchoolConferenceRecordHead CoachBracketPrevious NAIAWS AppearancesBest NAIAWS FinishNAIA WSRecord British Columbia Cascade 31–22 Jennifer McKellar Oklahoma City none none 0–0 College of Idaho Cascade 37–20 Al Mendiola Chickasha 4 3rd 7–8 Cumberlands (KY) Mid-South 40–19 Bruce Leiniton Williamsburg 3 3rd 4–6 Indiana Wesleyan Crossroads 40–13 Kelsey Kooistra Columbia 4 T-5th 3–8 Madonna (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier 48–4 Ron Pezzoni Fayette 6 T-5th 9–10 Marian (IN) Crossroads 38–16 Scott Fleming Hattiesburg 7 4th 7–14 Mobile (AL) Southern States 39–16 Alison Sellers-Cook Mobile 21 1st 55–42 Our Lady of the Lake (TX) Red River 43–11 Amanda Davila Klamath Falls 2 1st 4–2 Southeastern (FL) The Sun 45–14 Kayla Watkins Lakeland 2 3rd 5–4 Southern Oregon Cascade 39–11 Jessica Pistole Ashland 15 1st 28–9
Bracket Source:
Game Results All game times are listed in Eastern Time (UTC−05:00).
Championship Game
See also 2026 NAIA baseball tournament 2026 NCAA Division I softball tournament 2026 NCAA Division II softball tournament 2026 NCAA Division III softball tournament
Notes
References