Just eight teams remain in the NCAA Softball Tournament as the Greatest Show on Dirt moves to the final stage in Oklahoma City with the Women’s College World Series.
Oklahoma is still in position to extend its streak of national championships to five straight, while other past champions like UCLA and Florida are here too. Texas Tech and Ole Miss are in Oklahoma City for the first time ever, and they’re joined by a well-rounded Oregon team, a hot-hitting Texas squad, and a group of Tennessee Lady Vols powered by the hardest-throwing pitcher in the sport. Five of the teams here are from the almighty SEC.
The double-elimination stage of the World Series begins on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET when the Longhorns face the Gators.
Here’s who we think has the best chances of winning it all:
8. Ole Miss
In the World Series for the first time ever, the Rebels advanced by pulling off a road Super Regional upset over Arkansas and National Player of the Year Bri Ellis. The Rebels have three players in the lineup with double-digit home runs this season, and two pitchers in the bullpen with more than 100 strikeouts on the season. Beating Arkansas was enough to prove that Ole Miss belongs here, but a long stay in Oklahoma City would be stunning.
7. Florida
The Gators have proven that they can beat the other teams in this field. They’ve beaten Oklahoma twice, Texas once and Ole Miss twice. Florida’s road here was rather easy though, as they run-ruled in all three regional wins, and then outscored Georgia 12-5 in three Super Regional games. With 22 homers on the year, Taylor Shumaker is the bat to watch in the lineup, while Kendra Falby has 90 hits and 36 stolen bases this season. Keagan Rothrock is the best arm in the bullpen, with a 16-6 record and 101 strikeouts.
6. Oregon
Beneficiaries of No. 1 overall seed Texas Tech being upset during the first weekend of the tournament, the 16th-seeded Ducks got to host a Super Regional against Liberty, where they won in two games to appear in the World Series for the first time since 2018. Oregon flexed its well-rounded muscles in a sweep of Liberty, winning the first game 3-2 in extras and then a 13-1 blowout in Game Two. The Ducks are fourth nationally in batting average (.350) and eighth in ERA (2.40). Sisters Kai and Kedre Luschar lead the team in hits with 82 and 80, respectively, while Rylee McCoy has 19 homers on the year. Pitcher Lyndsey Grein is second nationally in wins with a 29-2 record and 11th in strikeouts per seven innings with 9.1.
5. Texas
One of the best offensive teams remaining in the field, the Longhorns rank second nationally in batting average (.359), 10th in slugging percentage (.591), 10th in home runs (85), and first in total hits with 588. The most feared bat in the Texas lineup is that of Reese Atwood, who has 21 home runs, 85 RBI, 40 walks and an OPS of 1.416 on the season. Three other players in the Texas lineup have batting averages north of .400 on the year, including Ashton Maloney who has 89 hits, and Kayden Henry who has 30 stolen bases.
4. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders are in the Women’s College World Series for the first time ever. Texas Tech is powered by the best pitcher in college softball this season in NiJaree Canady, who leads the nation in ERA with a remarkable mark of 0.89. Canady is also first in hits allowed per seven innings (3.65), eighth in strikeouts per seven innings (9.5), and first in victories with a 30-5 record. Canady also has 11 home runs this season and is one of five players in the Texas Tech lineup with an OPS over .900.
3. UCLA
In the Women’s College World Series for the 18th time this century, UCLA used some “Bruin Magic” last weekend to win a road Super Regional at South Carolina. Along with Oregon, UCLA is one of two teams in Oklahoma City that ranks in the top 10 nationally in both batting average and ERA. The versatile Bruins have three players in their batting order — Jordan Woolery, Megan Grant and Savannah Pola — who sport OPS marks north of 1.190. From the circle, Taylor Tinsley, Addisen Fisher and Kaitlyn Terry all have ERAs lower than 2.65 and each have north of 100 strikeouts on the season.
2. Tennessee
If there’s a team that can beat Oklahoma, it’s probably Tennessee. The Lady Vols have already done that this season in SEC play, taking two of a three-game series in Norman in late March. Tennessee enters the World Series with one of the hottest pitchers in softball in Karlyn Pickens, who ranks in the top 10 nationally in ERA (1.00), strikeouts (280), shutouts (7), hits allowed per seven innings (4.22), and strikeouts per seven innings (9.6). In the batting order, Taylor Pannell, Sophia Nugent and McKenna Gibson have combined for 43 homers this year. This is the ninth World Series appearance for the Lady Vols, who are still searching for their first national title in the sport.
1. Oklahoma
Patty Gasso’s Sooners have won this thing eight times since the turn of the century, including each of the last four. Yes, you read that right — the Sooners are eyeing their fifth consecutive national title in softball, which would only further cement this run as one of the best dynasties ever in college sports. This Oklahoma team is younger than some of Gasso’s previous teams, but they’ve won 50 games this season, rank second nationally in home runs and ninth in fielding percentage. Located just 19 miles from Norman, the World Series in Oklahoma City is basically a series of home games for the Sooners too. Kasidi Pickering has an OPS of 1.422 while Sam Landry is 23-4 on the season with a 1.92 ERA.
