2026 Southern Conference softball tournament
| Teams | 8 |
|---|---|
| Format | Single elimination play-in, then six-team double-elimination tournament |
| Finals site |
|
| Champions | UNC Greensboro (4th title) |
| Winning coach | Janelle Breneman (4th title) |
| MVP | Brooklyn Shroyer (UNC Greensboro) |
| Television | ESPN+ |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | W | L | T | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UNC Greensboro †‡y | 17 | – | 4 | – | 0 | .810 | 43 | – | 19 | – | 0 | .694 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samford | 14 | – | 7 | – | 0 | .667 | 28 | – | 31 | – | 0 | .475 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Carolina | 12 | – | 9 | – | 0 | .571 | 34 | – | 24 | – | 0 | .586 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wofford | 10 | – | 11 | – | 0 | .476 | 35 | – | 19 | – | 0 | .648 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chattanooga | 10 | – | 11 | – | 0 | .476 | 25 | – | 29 | – | 1 | .464 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Tennessee State | 8 | – | 13 | – | 0 | .381 | 22 | – | 30 | – | 0 | .423 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercer | 8 | – | 13 | – | 0 | .381 | 20 | – | 30 | – | 0 | .400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Furman | 5 | – | 16 | – | 0 | .238 | 13 | – | 40 | – | 0 | .245 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 17, 2026[1] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2026 Southern Conference softball tournament was held from May 7 through May 10 at Frost Stadium on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[2] The winner of the conference tournament, UNC Greensboro, received an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I softball tournament.[3][4]
Format and Seeding
All eight SoCon softball teams will participate in the tournament and will be seeded based on conference record. The bottom four seeds will play in a single-elimination play-in round to begin the tournament. The two play-in round winners will then join the top four seeds in a six-team double-elimination tournament, with the top two seeds receiving byes into the third round, and the third and fourth placed teams playing the play-in round winners in the second round.[2] The Mercer Bears are defending champions, having won the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Bracket
| Play-in round Thursday, May 7 | Second round Thursday, May 7 | Third round Friday, May 8 | Semifinals Saturday, May 9 | Final Sunday May, 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 5 - 10:00 a.m. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 3 - 4:00 p.m. | 1 | UNC Greensboro | 19(5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 1 - 10:00 a.m. | 4 | Wofford | 2 | 4 | Wofford | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Game 9 - 10:00 a.m. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Chattanooga | 10 | 5 | Chattanooga | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | UNC Greensboro | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Furman | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Samford | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 6 - 1:00 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 4 - 7:00 p.m. | 2 | Samford | 14(5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 2 - 1:00 p.m. | 3 | Western Carolina | 2 | 3 | Western Carolina | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | East Tennessee State | 7 | 6 | East Tennessee State | 1 | Games 12/13 - 1:00 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Mercer | 0 | 1 | UNC Greensboro | 4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Samford | 0 | – | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Lower third round Friday, May 8 | Lower semifinal Saturday, May 9 | Lower final Saturday, May 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game 7 - 4:00 p.m. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | East Tennessee State | 4 | Game 11 - 4:00 p.m. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Wofford | 5 | Game 10 - 1:00 p.m. | 2 | Samford | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Wofford | 0 | 5 | Chattanooga | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Game 8 - 7:00 p.m. | 5 | Chattanooga | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Chattanooga | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Western Carolina | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Game times are in EDT.
Rankings denote tournament seed.
Superscripted number next to scores denote games that use extra innings or the run rule.
Source: Southern Conference[2]
Schedule
| Game | Time* | Matchup# | Score | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Thursday, May 7) | |||||
| 1 | 10:00 a.m. | No. 5 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman | 10–3 | [5] | |
| 2 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 6 East Tennessee State vs. No. 7 Mercer | 7–0 | [5] | |
| 3 | 4:00 p.m. | No. 5 Chattanooga vs. No. 4 Wofford | 0–2 | [5] | |
| 4 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 6 East Tennessee State vs. No. 3 Western Carolina | 1–2 | [5] | |
| Day 2 (Friday, May 8) | |||||
| 5 | 10:00 a.m. | No. 4 Wofford vs. No. 1 UNC Greensboro | 4–19(5) | [6] | |
| 6 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 3 Western Carolina vs. No. 2 Samford | 1–14(5) | [6] | |
| 7 | 4:00 p.m. | No. 6 East Tennessee State vs. No. 4 Wofford | 4–5 | [6] | |
| 8 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 5 Chattanooga vs. No. 3 Western Carolina | 7–6 | [6] | |
| Day 3 (Saturday, May 9) | |||||
| 9 | 10:00 a.m. | No. 1 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 2 Samford | 5–0 | [7] | |
| 10 | 1:00;p.m. | No. 4 Wofford vs. No. 5 Chattanooga | 0–7 | [7] | |
| 11 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 2 Samford vs. No. 5 Chattanooga | 8–6 | [7] | |
| Day 4 (Sunday, May 10) | |||||
| 12 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 1 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 2 Samford | 4–0 | [4] | |
| * Game times are in EDT. # Rankings denote tournament seed. Superscripted number next to scores denote games that use extra innings or the run rule. Source: Southern Conference[2] | |||||
All Tournament Team
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Avery Bouquin | UNC Greensboro |
| Laney Deane | |
| Macy Michael | |
| Brooklyn Shroyer | |
| Baileigh Pitts | Chattanooga |
| Taylor Long | |
| Katie Hart | Samford |
| Olivia Shaw | |
| Makinley Turner | |
| Lily Bell | Western Carolina |
MVP in bold
Source:[8]
References
- ↑ "SoCon | Softball | 2026 Standings". Southern Conference. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "2026 Softball Championship". Southern Conference. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Sofie Davis (April 23, 2026). "Tracking the 31 automatic qualifiers for the 2026 NCAA softball tournament". NCAA. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- 1 2 "UNCG wins the SoCon Softball Championship". soconsports.com. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Day one of SoCon Softball Championships in the books". soconsports.com. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Day two of SoCon Softball Championships in the books". soconsports.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Top two seeds set to face off in the SoCon Softball Championship". soconsports.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ↑ "UNCG wins the SoCon Softball Championship". Southern Conference. Retrieved 11 May 2026.