The 2026 SEC softball season began play Thursday, February 5, and conference play began on Friday, March 6. The 2026 SEC softball tournament takes place May 5–10 at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. Vanderbilt University does not have a softball program.
SEC preseason poll The SEC preseason poll, voted by each team's head coach, has Texas finishing in first place. Each head coach votes on a scale of 14 points for first place descending to 1 point for last place, 14th. Each coach only votes for 14 teams, since they can not vote for their own team. Texas received 9 1st place votes, while Oklahoma had 6. Preseason poll 1 Texas 2 Oklahoma 3 Tennessee 4 Florida 5 Arkansas 6 Texas A&M 7 LSU 8 Georgia 9 Alabama 10 South Carolina 11 Mississippi State 12 Auburn 13 Ole Miss 14 Missouri 15 Kentucky
Record vs. conference opponents Tie breakers: TEX>TEN>TAM, SCA common. MSU>MIZ, FLA common.
National rankings The SEC had 10 or 12 softball teams in the top 25 of all three final polls. From the previous poll, Texas rose 5 places in two polls. Tennessee rose 4 places in two polls. Mississippi State went up 10 or 12 places in all three. Oklahoma dropped 5, 6, or 8 in each poll. There were no other changes of 4 or more places, up or down, in any of these three polls. Rankings of opponent is at the time of the game in the NFCA/GOROUT poll. All games were in the 2026 NCAA Division I softball tournament. Texas went 2–1 in a three game series hosting 19th Arizona State, 2–1 versus 8th Tennessee, 1–0 versus 20th Mississippi State and 1st Nebraska, and 2–0 versus 4th Texas Tech in the championship series winning it. Texas also went 3–0 hosting not ranked. Tennessee 2–0 hosting 16th Georgia, 1–2 versus 6th Texas, 1–0 versus 4th Texas Tech. Tennessee also went 3–0 hosting not ranked. Mississippi State 1–0 at 12th Oregon, 2–1 at 2nd Oklahoma, 0–1 versus 4th Texas Tech, and 0–1 versus 6th Texas. Mississippi State also went 2–0 versus not ranked.
NFCA/GOROUT The 14th poll was after the conference tournaments and before the NCAA tournament. The 15th poll, after the NCAA tournament, was the final poll. Week0123456789101112131415 TEX12333321145771061TEXALA151085444643334433ALATEN4311111479788584TENARK99777810109889109107ARKOKL34T56666532111128OKLFLA64T44555356456799FLAMSU22191412121211121313141718192010MSUUGA20201615151515151516151517171615UGALSU16121917172022202221222020181818LSUTAM1181113141616161614121114151720TAMSCAR121613192323212325–––––––SCAROMS142125–––––––––––––OMSAUB––––––––––––––––AUBKEN––––––––––––––––KENMIZ––––––––––––––––MIZ
D1Softball The 13th poll will be after the end of the regular season, before the conference tournaments, then the 14th poll, after the NCAA tournament, will be the final poll. Week01234567891011121314 TEX122222211445561TEXALA14109855464322433ALATEN431111148989774TENARK897766996666857ARKMSU23171414131211141415141816188MSUOKL344544553211119OKLFLA5554997377779910FLAUGA171911111514141212131212131211UGALSU121220191920232222201817201716LSUTAM111313171818151515141311151618TAMSCA13201922232425–––––2325–SCAMISS24––––––––––––––MISSAUB–––––––––––––––AUBKEN–––––––––––––––KENMIZ–––––––––––––––MIZ ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate The 14th poll will be after the conference tournaments and before the NCAA tournament. The 15th poll, after the NCAA tournament, will be the final poll. Week0123456789101112131415 TEX1T233332114545631TEXALA161397666753223323ALATEN43111114810999784TENARK81188999966667557ARKMSU2421181917141214161514T191619208MSUOKL3445444332111149OKLFLA655688857778891010FLAUGA1517121112T131311111413111413T1111UGALSU13101717T161719202018171519181815LSUTAM118131515161515151311101213T1616TAMOMS22––––––––––––––25TOMSSCA1420222224242424–2425242123–25TSCAAUB––––––––––––––––AUBKEN––––––– –––––––––KENMIZ––––––––––––––––MIZ
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