All roads lead to Chattanooga. The 2026 DII softball season is off and running, and more than 270 teams have aspirations of winning that elusive national championship. Two-time defending champion UT Tyler certainly has their eyes set on DII softball history, while many of the usual powerhouses are geared up for yet another big run.
💣 🥎 6 of the best home run hitting DII softball lineups
This year’s finals will once again head to Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where UT Tyler is very familiar with winning, as is North Georgia. They are just two of the familiar faces one could predict will be there again. It is nearly impossible to project all eight teams correctly this early in the season… but someone has to try. The below list combines history, returning talent and stats to try and guess which teams make it to Chattanooga in 2026.
Way-too-early guess at the DII softball final eight
Atlantic Region: Kutztown. There hasn’t been much rhyme or reason in the Atlantic, so history isn’t very helpful here. West Chester once owned the region, reaching the finals three straight years from 2018-21 (remember, there was no tournament in 2020). Since then, it has been four straight different winners, which means Shippensburg will have a tough time repeating, historically speaking. However, Kutztown has made it to the super regionals three of those last four seasons, seeing its season end there. Perhaps this is the Golden Bears' year, especially with what they return. They had six everyday players hit .300 or better in their starting lineup. Four are back, including Emily Henn, who led the team with a .401 average while posting a 1.005 OPS with six home runs and a team-high 24 stolen bases. Haley Gravish (2.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 184 strikeouts) returns in the circle, as do Amanda Slabicki and Abbey Wagner, who will step into expanded roles as starters. This team is loaded and must be on a mission for Chattanooga with all that is back.
Central Region: Southern Arkansas. Over the past 10 tournaments, the Central Region has produced three national champions in Rogers State, Augustana (SD) and Minnesota State. So, yes, there are some real powerhouses here. Central Oklahoma is always a contender, but lost its best player in Terin Ritz, who was the MIAA player of the year leading the conference in home runs while pitching to a 24-6 record with a 1.46 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. Augustana (SD), which lost to Central Oklahoma in the super regionals a year ago, returns so much talent offensively, but loses both aces from arguably the best pitching staff in DII last year. That is why the Muleriders get the early pick. Both UCO and Augustana can find themselves back in the supers, but Southern Arkansas has a good blend of returners with Kassie Rhodes back in the circle and four of their top six hitters back, including Regan Dillon, who hit .351 with a 1.162 OPS and 12 home runs. This will be one of the tighter races across DII.
East Region: Pace. It is really hard to not go with Wilmington (DE) here. The Wildcats have made each of the last four East super regionals, advancing to the final eight in both 2023 and 2024. However, it was Pace that ended their run at a three-peat in the East last year, and the Setters return more talent than the Wildcats, and get the early nod. The Setters lose their ace Gisselle Garcia, who was arguably the best pitcher in DII last year, but do return Alyssa Smart (10-2, 1.42 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) and Priscilla Del Toro (8-4, 2.70 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) in the circle, so they have the experience. They also have their top three hitters back in Riley Jenkins, Willa Poplawski and Kayle Matsuda. It is hard to go against that kind of returning experience coming off a 48-win season.
Midwest Region: Saginaw Valley State. The Midwest Region is one to watch. Grand Valley State, once the power of the Midwest Region, returns a bevy of experience in reigning GLIAC freshman of the year Madelyn Pope, pitchers Nevaeh Ingram and Karli Dorr, and outfielder Faith Edwards. UIndy, another Midwest powerhouse, returns almost its entire starting lineup from a team that made the super regionals a year ago, including Brooklyn Willis, who hit .390 with a 1.081 OPS, nine home runs, 55 runs scored and 55 RBI. The problem is that the Cardinals return nearly every big contributor from its 49-win, 2025 finals roster. Aalana Kimble, Ella Reifschneider, Lillia Sherman, Olivia Elliott, Kate Pnacek and Mya Purdy each made at least 46 starts, each hit over .300 and each posted an OPS above .820. The team hit 53 home runs and their three top sluggers — Elliott, Pnacek and Kenzie Bromley — return 32 of those alone. In the circle, both top pitchers return in Kimble and Macy Irelan. The abundance of talent for the Midwest’s Big Three is too top-heavy to ignore and should make for the most thrilling race to Chattanooga among the eight regions.
South Region: Auburn Montgomery. Tampa is a very good team and a national power, but the Spartans lose a ton of talent, including Mariah Galhouse, who was one of the most dominant players in the division. Conversely, the Warhawks return quite a bit of talent, and they have become a South Region powerhouse with said talent. The Warhawks made the tournament for the first time in 2021 and since then have reached the final eight twice and took Tampa to the limit in last year’s super regionals before bowing out. This year, the Warhawks return their top hitter and base stealer in Chloe Barnes, top home run hitter in Reese Cauley, and a trio from the starting lineup that started at least 45 games. Cauley was also part of the two-headed monster in the circle that is back, joining Chelisa Newsome as one of the best duos in the South Region. Expect another trip to the supers for UAM.
South Central Region: UT Tyler. Here's the deal. The Patriots have been eligible for the DII tournament since 2022 and they have made the finals in each season since. They were 33-7 in 2021, and had they been through their DIII transition, they had a great chance to make it then as well. The Patriots are also the first back-to-back champions this millennium and are looking to become the third three-peat champions in DII history. Yes, they lost a ton of the talent that got them to this point. Yes, they are off to an 8-4 start. No, I don't care. Until this team is eliminated from playoff contention, they have the biggest target on their back in DII.
Southeast Region: North Georgia. If you are new to DII softball, meet the Nighthawks. North Georgia has made every Southeast super regional since 2021, reaching the finals four times and winning it all in 2023, its second national championship since 2015. Sydnee Reaves, who hit .400 with 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases, and last year’s freshman sensation Carleigh Knowles (.384, 21 home runs, 18 doubles and 70 RBI) highlight a star-studded cast that returns to Dahlonega. Two of the Nighthawks’ 2025 starters are back in the circle, though they are missing that lockdown ace of years past. Perhaps this is the season Chloe Poss or Graci West become that dominant ace, but both are plenty good to support the additions to the staff. This is, and will be, the team to beat in the Southeast.
West Region: Concordia (CA). Ah, the Wild West. While it has been a smorgasbord of teams that have made the finals over the past decade, we do tend to see the same teams in the mix. Teams like Western Washington, Cal State San Marcos, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Concordia (CA) are always in the conversation. And that's why the the Golden Eagles are the pick. Kacie Gossett, Jayden Nishi, Kira Morris and Kailey Estes are all back in the circle, and this is a team that had a 2.01 ERA and 1.20 WHIP a season ago. Jessica Im and Kaliya Yco are also back, and both were two of the best hitters in the lineup in 2025. Anything can happen out in the West — remember when Biola came out of nowhere and almost won it all in 2021? — but CUI has some interesting pieces to watch.
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