The Women’s College World Series is fast approaching, as conference softball tournaments kick off today ahead of Sunday’s NCAA tournament bracket reveal.
No. 1 Oklahoma enters the stacked SEC tournament as conference champion, edging out No. 2 Alabama by sweeping No. 6 Texas A&M on the final day of regular-season play.
No. 1 Nebraska leads the Big Ten, Texas Tech sits atop the Big 12, and Florida State heads up the ACC.
Top-ranked future graduates also learned their professional paths, as last night’s 2026 AUSL College Draft put pitchers in the hot seat.
Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens went No. 1 overall to the Carolina Blaze. Later, Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady went second to the Texas Volts, while Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson went third to the Oklahoma City Spark.
“Our staff believes Karlyn is the whole package,” Blaze GM Dana Sorensen said. “She is an ultimate competitor, and we feel that four years pitching in the SEC has given her the best preparation for the pro league.”
How to Watch 2026 NCAA Softball Conference Tournaments
NCAA softball conference tournaments run through Saturday, live on ESPN networks.
