Oregon Softball's NCAA Tournament Path Clear

The Oregon Ducks learned their NCAA Tournament path during the softball selection show.

Oregon’s Stefini Ma'ake, celebrates a run during the first inning of the Jane Sanders Classic March 6, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon Ducks softball’s postseason history is rich with success. The Ducks have now clinched NCAA Tournament berths in six straight seasons dating back to 2021.

Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show revealed that Oregon will return home to Eugene to host a Regional for the second year in a row.

Oregon Softball Hosts Eugene Regional

Oregon’s Stefini Ma'ake, celebrates a run during the first inning of the Jane Sanders Classic March 6, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks earned a top 16 seed on Selection Sunday and will host a regional at Jane Sanders Stadium. Oregon earned the tournament No. 4 seed and No. 14 overall seed.

The Idaho State Bengals, the Saint Mary’s Gaels and the No. 5 Mississippi State Bulldogs will be coming to Eugene to play in the regional from May 15-17. The Ducks would have likely been a tournament No. 2 seed or one of the first No. 3 seeds with a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament, but an early exit made them take a tumble in the rankings.

Oregon joins the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the UCLA Bruins as the only Big Ten programs to host. The Washington Huskies, the Michigan Wolverines, the Wisconsin Badgers and the Indiana Hoosiers all made the tournament as well.

Oregon Ducks’ Postseason History

Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi talks to her team after the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Liberty Flames in game two of an NCAA Super Regional at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene on May 24, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks have made their sixth postseason appearance under coach Melyssa Lombardi. The program made a deep run into the tournament last season, ending up in the Women’s College World Series, where it ultimately fell to the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oregon ended up hosting both a Regional and a Super Regional in Eugene last season. The Ducks have reached two Super Regionals under Lombardi, with the 2025 season being their best finish during her coaching tenure.

The Ducks have never won a National Championship in program history. They’d need to put together an impressive postseason run to accomplish that in 2026, but if the bats get hot, Oregon has the talent to get back to the WCWS again.

Ducks Suffer Tough Defeat in Big Ten Tournament

May 29, 2025; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Melyssa Lombardi comes out to talk to the umpire in the third inning against the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Oregon’s Big Ten Tournament run wasn’t the ideal way for the Ducks to kick off their postseason. Oregon has struggled in conference tournaments, especially since joining the Big Ten.

Lombardi’s team has taken care of business against Big Ten teams during the regular season since joining the conference. In two conference tournaments, however, the Ducks have lost their opening games.

The Wisconsin Badgers defeated Oregon 11-9 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament this year.

"Any time something doesn't go our way, this group knows how to respond, and I expect them to fully respond and be ready to go for postseason," Lombardi told GoDucks after the loss. "I love this group. I believe in this group. This group is really, really good. Today was a tough day for us, but you have to leave it, and you've got to move on to be ready for what's next."

The Ducks responded to their Big Ten Tournament defeat in 2025 by rolling all the way to the WCWS. If 2026 is anything similar, Oregon will use the conference tournament as fuel going forward.

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