LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Coming off the program’s first national championship, University of Texas is the preseason favorite in the 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Longhorns, which were No. 1 in last year’s preseason poll, collected 21 first-place votes (764 points) and are followed by national runner-up Texas Tech, which earned 10 first-place votes and 751 points.

The Longhorns (56-12) edged out Texas Tech in a three-game Championship Series to complete a 10-2 postseason run and win the softball program’s first title in its 28-year history. Texas’ postseason included a sweep of the Austin Super Regional before coming out on top of a hard-fought three-game Super Regional tilt against No. 11 seed Clemson, winning the final two contests 7-5 in 10 innings and 6-5.

A 3-0 start at the Women’s College World Series advanced the Longhorns to their third Championship Series in four years. After splitting a pair of one-run affairs with the Red Raiders, Texas jumped out to a 10-0 advantage after four innings and held on for a 10-4 triumph. Texas was the second lowest seeded team to win a WCWS and the first SEC softball program to win since Florida in 2014 and 2015.

Off the heels of a historic 2025 season, Texas Tech is No. 2. The Red Raiders (54-14), who made their first-ever Super Regional and WCWS appearances, smashed their program record for wins, won their first eight games of the postseason, sweeping the Lubbock Regional and the Tallahassee Super Regional against fifth-ranked Florida State. At the WCWS, Texas Tech defeated Ole Miss, No. 9 seed UCLA and No. 2 seed Oklahoma en route to the Championship Series.

National semifinalists Oklahoma and Tennessee come in at No. 3 and No. 4. The Sooners (52-9) swept through Regionals and Super Regionals, winning four of the five games by run rule and went 2-2 at the World Series. It marked the first time OU did not reach the Championship Series since its semifinal appearance in 2019. The Lady Vols (47-17) posted a 7-3 postseason record, sweeping regionals and sneaking by Nebraska in a three-game Super Regional, winning games two and three by one run. In OKC, UT earned its two wins over No. 3 seed Florida and No. 9 seed UCLA.

Women’s College World Series participants – No. 5 Oregon (54-10), No. 6 Florida (48-17) and No. 7 UCLA (55-13) – make up the next three spots in the rankings. Rounding out the top 10 are three Super Regional participants in No. 8 Florida State (49-12), No. 9 Arkansas (44-14) and No. 10 Nebraska (43-15).

In all, the SEC littered the charts with 12 teams, which included five in the top 10 and nine in the top 15. The Atlantic Coast Conference followed with five programs and the Big 10 with four, three of which were in the top 10. Three squads from the Big 12 and Liberty from Conference USA round out the league representation. 

There were no new inclusions to the rankings as all 25 teams that finished last season nationally ranked, start the 2026 in the poll.

The opening weekend kicks off on Feb. 5 with No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Oregon, No. 13 Clemson (48-14) and No. 21 Liberty (50-15) taking part in the 2026 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP, Feb. 5-8 in Clearwater, Fla. Additionally, a pair of teams that received votes in the poll – Southeastern Louisiana and Auburn – are also on the tournament’s schedule

All six of those teams will be showcasing their talents on MLB Network, highlighted by a top-five matchup between the Lady Vols and Ducks as well as Clemson taking on Auburn and Oregon facing off against Southeastern Louisiana. Additionally, the Lady Flames will battle Missouri.

Also on the docket at the Leadoff Classic is Clemson versus Southeastern Louisiana, Oregon versus Clemson, Liberty versus Clemson, Liberty vs. Tennessee and Oregon versus Liberty.

The 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 31 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. The first regular season poll will be revealed on Feb. 10 at 10:00 a.m. ET and every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. throughout the regular season.

2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll

1/27/26 (Preseason)

Receiving Votes: Virginia (24), Grand Canyon (23), Southeastern Louisiana (13), Florida Atlantic (7), Auburn (6), Michigan (6), Arizona State (1), North Florida (1).

The 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 31 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. Poll will be released on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. ET during the regular season.

NFCA DI Top 25 Poll Committee

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