The 2026 Mississippi State Bulldogs softball team represented Mississippi State University in the 2026 NCAA Division I softball season. The Bulldogs were led by seventh-year head coach Samantha Ricketts and played their home games at Nusz Park in Starkville, Mississippi. Mississippi State finished the season with a record of 43–21, finishing tenth in the Southeastern Conference with a record of 9–15.

The Bulldogs were invited to the 2026 NCAA Division I softball tournament. They swept the Eugene Regional and upset third overall seed Oklahoma in the Norman Super Regional to advance to the Women's College World Series, their first appearance in Oklahoma City. They were eliminated after losses to eventual runner-up Texas Tech and champion Texas.

Personnel Roster 2026 Mississippi State Bulldogs roster Pitchers 3 - Peja Goold - Senior 4 - Alyssa Faircloth - Junior 11 - Abigail Stevens - Freshman 17 - Leila Ammon - Sophomore 20 - Sara Phillips - Sophomore 21 - Brinkley Moreton - Freshman 48 - Delainey Everett - Junior

Catchers 12 - Paige Ernstes - Sophomore 19 - Anna Carder - Senior 23 - Des Rivera - Senior Infielders 6 - Carson Smith - Freshman 7 - Gabby Schaeffer - Freshman 10 - Nadia Barbary - Senior 24 - Morgan Stiles - Sophomore 41 - Taylor Troutman - Freshman 83 - Xiane Romero - Sophomore

Utility 2 - Abby Grace Richardson - Senior 5 - Ally Supan - Freshman 31 - Sydney Carroll - Freshman Outfielders 1 - Gretta Grassel - Sophomore 9 - Kiarra Sells - Senior 13 - Morgan Bernardini - Senior 22 - Tatum Silva - Junior 33 - Kinley Keller - Freshman 42 - Kalani Sells - Sophomore

Coaching staff 2026 Mississippi State Bulldogs coaching staff Samantha Ricketts – Head coach - 7th season Tyler Bratton – Associate head coach - 13th season Taryne Mowatt-McKinney – Assistant coach - 3rd season Zac Shaw – Assistant coach - 4th season

Schedule Legend Mississippi State win Mississippi State loss * Non-Conference game

2026 Mississippi State Bulldogs softball game logRegular seasonFebruary Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Feb 5 at * No. 22 Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX(Getterman Classic) W 10–0 1–0 Feb 6 vs * No. 22 Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX(Getterman Classic) W 9–3 2–0 Feb 6 vs * No. 22 Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX(Getterman Classic) W 5–2 3–0 Feb 7 vs * No. 22 Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX(Getterman Classic) W 8–1 4–0 Feb 10 * No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 5–0 5–0 Feb 13 * No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery) W 9–1 6–0 Feb 13 * No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery) W 8–0 7–0 Feb 14 Rutgers* No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery) W 7–2 8–0 Feb 14 * No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery) W 3–1 9–0 Feb 15 North Texas* No. 19 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery) W 10–2 10–0 Feb 18 * No. 14 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 8–4 11–0 Feb 20 * No. 14 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(Bulldog Invitational presented by Mizuno) L 0–1 11–1 Feb 20 * No. 14 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(Bulldog Invitational presented by Mizuno) W 6–2 12–1 Feb 21 Belmont* No. 14 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(Bulldog Invitational presented by Mizuno) W 4–1 13–1 Feb 22 Delaware State* No. 14 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS(Bulldog Invitational presented by Mizuno) W 19–1 14–1 Feb 25 at * No. 12 Shirley Clements Mewborn Field • Atlanta, GA W 8–3 15–1 Feb 27 vs * No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC(Tiger Invitational) W 9–1 16–1 Feb 28 vs * No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC(Tiger Invitational) W 8–0 17–1 Feb 28 at No. 25 Clemson* No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC(Tiger Invitational) L 0–3 17–2 March Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Mar 1 at No. 25 Clemson* No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC(Tiger Invitational) W 9–1 18–2 Mar 4 at * No. 12 Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 6–1 19–2 Mar 6 vs * No. 12 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL(Jaguar Classic) W 1–0 20–2 Mar 6 at * No. 12 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL(Jaguar Classic) W 3–1 21–2 Mar 7 vs New Mexico* No. 12 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL(Jaguar Classic) W 4–0 22–2 Mar 7 vs Samford* No. 12 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL(Jaguar Classic) W 9–1 23–2 Mar 8 at South Alabama* No. 12 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL(Jaguar Classic) W 4–2 24–2 Mar 10 * No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 9–0 25–2 Mar 10 Southeast Missouri State* No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 4–0 26–2 Mar 13 No. 1 No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 1–3 26–3 0–1 Mar 14 No. 1 Tennessee No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 1–0 27–3 1–1 Mar 15 No. 1 Tennessee No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 1–4 27–4 1–2 Mar 18 UAB* No. 11 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 4–0 28–4 Mar 20 at No. 15 Georgia No. 11 Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA L 3–6 28–5 1–3 Mar 21 at No. 15 Georgia No. 11 Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA W 3–2 29–5 2–3 Mar 22 at No. 15 Georgia No. 11 Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA L 4–7 29–6 2–4 Mar 25 * No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 7–0 30–6 Mar 28 No. 23 * No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 0–2 30–7 2–5 Mar 29 No. 23 South Carolina* No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 2–0 31–7 3–5 Mar 30 No. 23 South Carolina* No. 12 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 4–3 32–7 4–5April/May Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SEC record Apr 3 at No. 5 Florida No. 13 Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL L 0–2 32–8 4–6 Apr 4 at No. 5 Florida No. 13 Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 9–5 33–8 5–6 Apr 5 at No. 5 Florida No. 13 Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL L 4–5 33–9 5–7 Apr 10 No. 8 Arkansas No. 13 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 1–0 34–9 6–7 Apr 11 No. 8 Arkansas No. 13 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 0–8 34–10 6–8 Apr 12 No. 8 Arkansas No. 13 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 3–10 34–11 6–9 Apr 17 at No. 12 No. 14 Davis Diamond • College Station, TX L 1–3 34–12 6–10 Apr 18 at No. 12 Texas A&M No. 14 Davis Diamond • College Station, TX L 0–4 34–13 6–11 Apr 19 at No. 12 Texas A&M No. 14 Davis Diamond • College Station, TX L 9–10 34–14 6–12 Apr 24 No. 20 No. 17 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 5–3 35–14 7–12 Apr 25 No. 20 LSU No. 17 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS W 5–2 36–14 8–12 Apr 26 No. 20 LSU No. 17 Nusz Park • Starkville, MS L 3–5 36–15 8–13 Apr 30 at No. 18 Alisa and Mark Bourne Stadium • Oxford, MS W 1–0 37–15 9–13 May 1 at Ole Miss No. 18 Alisa and Mark Bourne Stadium • Oxford, MS L 2–3 37–16 9–14 May 2 at Ole Miss No. 18 Alisa and Mark Bourne Stadium • Oxford, MS L 0–3 37–17 9–15Postseason Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SECT record May 5 (15) No. 19 (10) John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY W 4–3 38–17 1–0 May 6 No. 9 (7) Arkansas No. 19 (10) John Cropp Stadium • Lexington, KY L 0–3 38–18 1–1 Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record Reg. record May 15 No. 20 Jane Sanders Stadium • Eugene, OR W 3–2 39–18 1–0 May 16 No. 12 (14) No. 20 Jane Sanders Stadium • Eugene, OR W 4–0 40–18 2–0 May 17 Saint Mary's No. 20 Jane Sanders Stadium • Eugene, OR W 5–0 41–18 3–0 Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SR record May 22 No. 2 (3) Oklahoma No. 20 Love's Field • Norman, OK W 11–9 42–18 1–0 May 23 No. 2 (3) Oklahoma No. 20 Love's Field • Norman, OK L 1–7 42–19 1–1 May 24 No. 2 (3) Oklahoma No. 20 Love's Field • Norman, OK W 6–0 43–19 2–1 Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record SECT record May 28 No. 4 (11) Texas Tech No. 20 Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK L 0–8 43–20 0–1 May 29 No. 6 (2) Texas No. 20 Devon Park • Oklahoma City, OK L 0–4 43–21 0–2 Rankings from NFCA/USA Today prior to the game, tournament seeds in parentheses.

Ranking movements

Notes

References