Softball On SI

Softball On SI Reveals Bold 2026 Breakout Team Predictions

The North Carolina Tar Heels are a favorite.
Maren Angus-Coombs|
North Carolina is poised for a breakout season in 2026, according to Softball On SI.
North Carolina is poised for a breakout season in 2026, according to Softball On SI. | UNC Athletics

The 2026 collegiate softball season is right around the corner, and the staff at Softball On SI is ready to make a few predictions.

The first preseason recognition belongs to the Breakout Team, and here is who the staff believes will stand out this spring.

Maren Angus-Coombs: North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels are a team to watch this spring. After appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, head coach Megan Smith Lyon is chasing a Regional hosting job rather than just appearing in Year 3. 

UNC’s schedule is tough, and if the Tar Heels are successful, we could see them bring the NCAA Tournament to Chapel Hill. They are scheduled to play four conference champions, 13 teams that made the NCAA Tournament, three of which made it to the Super Regionals. Six of this year’s opponents finished in the top 25 of the final RPI, four in between 26-50, and eight finished between 51-100.

With 10 of their last 12 games against Duke, Florida State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech, the Heels will be battle-tested headed into the postseason. 

Charles Mays: Appalachian State Mountaineers

My breakout team in 2026 comes from the Sun Belt Conference. The App State Mountaineers, led by Coach Whitney Jones, intrigued me over the fall. The Mountaineers bring back a lot of returning production and leadership, and this program has the belief and work ethic to do something special in Boone, N.C.

Last season, App State set program records in several offensive categories, and I believe they can push those records higher this year. In the circle, Sophie Moshos returns, and be sure to keep an eye on freshman Camryn Fisher, the 2025 Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year. I observed her this fall against Duke and Charlotte, and she looks ready for the challenge.

The Mountaineers have a chance to come out of the gate with a solid start to the season. Then we will get to see how this team stacks up against power competition in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Penn State in the latter part of February.

Nicole Reitz: North Carolina Tar Heels 

The Tar Heels pushed to new heights in 2025, appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, but fell in two straight games in the Knoxville Regional. 

Megan Smith Lyon is never shy when it comes to using the transfer portal, and the additions have yet to fail her. Kat Rodriguez turned into an All-American under her direction, while Alex Coleman took over the Power 4 school after leaving a mid-major. Not only are the Tar Heels bringing in eight freshmen in 2026, but six transfers with previous elite program experience are bolstering the lineup. 

I believe the Tar Heels are going to see their first Super Regional appearance in program history and aren’t going to be taken down without a fight. 

Maddy Lewis: South Carolina Gamecocks

Led by second-year head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, the Gamecocks are coming off a hot 2025 season (44-17 overall) where they hosted a Super Regional for the first time and were just one win shy of a trip to the World Series.

South Carolina returns many of its starters, including reigning Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner at first base and NFCA All-Region Second Team selection Arianna Rodi.

In the circle, Jori Heard, who previously tossed a majority of the Gamecocks’ innings, 140.2, is back for her senior season. Several high-level transfers will also look to make an immediate impact. After a complete rebuild in the coaching staff two years ago, Woodard is moving the needle in the right direction in their quest to become an SEC powerhouse. 

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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