KU softball team earns first bid to NCAA Tournament in over 10 years
The Kansas Jayhawks softball team has earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.
The Jayhawks (35-19, 15-11 Big 12), an at-large selection in the 64-team tourney field, will compete in the Norman, Oklahoma, regional with Michigan, Oklahoma and Binghamton.
KU, a No. 8 seed, will open regional play with a game against Michigan (34-20) at 5 p.m. Friday at Love’s Field in Norman. No. 1 seed Oklahoma (48-8) will meet Binghamton (20-25) at 2:30 p.m.
The regional tourney runs through Sunday.
KU, which was seeded fifth in the Big 12 tournament, defeated UCF 6-5 in the first round Thursday, then was eliminated by No. 1 seed Texas Tech 14-0 in a Friday semifinal in Oklahoma City.
Led by eighth year KU coach Jennifer McFalls, the Jayhawks will enter the NCAA Tournament with 19 top-100 RPI wins, 11 top-50 RPI wins and five top-25 RPI wins. Kansas finished the regular season with four ranked wins this season, including vs. No. 20 Arizona State, No. 24 UCF and No. 13 Oklahoma State.
Kansas finished the 2026 home slate with 13 wins at Arrocha Ballpark, marking the most in a season since 2016, when Kansas had 17 home wins.
Kansas finished the regular season with 14 Big 12 Conference wins, the most by the Jayhawks in Big 12 Conference history. KU’s previous high was 11 league wins, set twice before (in 1997 and 2024).
Kansas finished the season 6-2 in Big 12 series, which tied for second-best in the conference. The Jayhawks’ 35 wins are the most under McFalls, and the most overall since 2015.
Ella Boyer, a catcher from Spring, Texas, was named unanimous Big 12 freshman of the year as well as first-team all-league. Anna Soles, a junior pitcher/utility player from League City, Texas, also made first team all-league, while outfielder Presley Limbaugh made the all-Big 12 second team. She is a native of Cooper, Texas.
Boyer, Blakely Barber and Lila Partridge earned all-freshman team honors. Barber is a pitcher from Georgetown, Texas, and Partridge a pitcher/first baseman from Petaluma, California.
Hailey Cripe, a senior infielder from Royal Center, Indiana, and Limbaugh were Kansas’ representatives on the all-Big 12 defensive team.
The NCAA Tournament features 16 regional sites, with four teams in each playing a double-elimination format.
Regional winners advance to super regionals. Those winners reach the Women’s College World Series.
The Jayhawks are 17-22 in the regional round. Their last win came against Indiana State in 2015.
Kansas is 0-2 all-time against Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Jayhawks 4-2 on Feb. 8 in Tampa, Florida.
