Seven Big 12 teams earned selections to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the most to represent the Conference in the NCAA tournament since 2012.
Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, UCF, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were seven of the 64 teams selected to the bracket. Five of the seven teams earned bids to last year’s field, which extends the Big 12’s streak of having five or more teams in the NCAA postseason event to three consecutive seasons.
The double-elimination format for the regional round will begin on Friday, May 15 and conclude on Sunday, May 17. The 16 remaining teams will advance to the Super Regionals.
Texas Tech claimed the 11th overall seed to clinch a No. 3 seed to host the program’s second consecutive regional at Tracy Sellers Field. The Red Raiders open the regional, facing Marist on Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT. This is Texas Tech’s eighth overall NCAA Tournament selection, who will also host Boston University and No. 6 seed Ole Miss this week.
Oklahoma State earned the bracket’s 13th overall seed and gets to host in Stillwater as a No. 4 seed. The Cowgirls’ 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance tips off against Eastern Illinois at 3:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The Stillwater Regional also features Princeton and No. 5 seed Stanford.
Arizona State won the league’s automatic bid after winning the 2026 Big 12 Softball Tournament ahead of the program’s second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Earning a No. 5 seed, the Sun Devils travel to the Bryan-College Station Regional, hosted by No. 4 seed Texas A&M. Friday’s game against McNeese is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT, with ASU potentially facing Texas A&M and UConn during the week.
No. 6-seed Arizona will travel to the Durham Regional as the Wildcats make their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 38th all-time. They’ll face Marshall at 1:30 p.m. CT/11:30 a.m. MST on Friday in the regional that also features the three-seeded Duke program and Howard.
Sixth-seeded UCF recorded the program’s sixth consecutive postseason bid, earning a placement in the Tallahassee Regional. The Knights will face Jacksonville State at 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The regional also includes host, No. 3 seed Florida State, and Stetson.
Kansas earned a No. 8 seed as the Jayhawks make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, the first time under head coach Jennifer McFalls. KU was selected to the Norman Regional and will face Michigan on Friday at 5 p.m. CT, with the potential to also face No. 1-seeded Oklahoma and Binghamton during the regional.
Baylor rounded out the league’s selections, making its first NCAA appearance since 2024 and 17th overall at the Austin Regional. The Bears take No. 8 seed Wisconsin on Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT. Hosted by the second overall seed, Texas, the Austin Regional also includes Wagner.
ESPN will provide coverage from all 16 regional sites on its platforms. The full NCAA bracket can be found here.
2026 Big 12 Softball Selections Schedule – Friday, May 15 (all times CT)
Baylor vs. Wisconsin (Austin Regional) – 12:30 p.m.
No. 6 Arizona vs. Marshall (Durham Regional) – 1:30 p.m.
No. 6 UCF vs. Jacksonville State (Tallahassee Regional) – 1:30 p.m.
No. 3 Texas Tech vs. Marist (Lubbock Regional) – 3:30 p.m.
No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. Eastern Illinois (Stillwater Regional) – 3:30 p.m.
No. 5 Arizona State vs. McNeese (Bryan-College Station Regional) – 3:30 p.m.
No. 8 Kansas vs. Michigan (Norman Regional) – 5 p.m.