These 3 SEC Softball Teams Could Miss the 2026 NCAA Tournament
As the regular season hits its two week countdown, take a look at which SEC programs could be on the chopping block, pending results from this weekend and the next.
Arguably the top softball league in the NCAA, the SEC is the current frontrunner in teams earning postseason bids at 14, according to Softball America's latest Bracketology.
However, that number could change if teams fall below a .500 record. Heading into Sunday, three teams are in danger and will need a strong finish to make sure that doesn't happen.
Missouri Tigers (25-26, 7-13 SEC)
Coming off a 2025 season where Missouri went one-and-done in the SEC Conference Tournament, the 2026 campaign has not differed all that much. Early on, the Tigers went 2-and-3 at both the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic and Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational.
Following that, they dropped four games at the Cajun AC Louisiana Clash, and haven't been able to find much of a stride since. The black and gold squad has gone 11-8 at home, 9-9 on the road and 5-8 at neutral sites.
Led by freshman two-way Abby Carr and junior Marissa McCann in the circle and juniors Stefania Abruscato and Abby Hay at the plate, the Tigers still have two of the best teams in the nation to face. Missouri will look to bounce back from consecutive losses to No. 6 Arkansas, 4-0 on Friday night, and 9-2 on Saturday.
Moving forward, the team from Columbia, Mo. will host a midweek against Kansas City on April 28 and the final regular season matchup against No. 11 Tennessee from April 30-May 2. The Tigers must win at least three of their last five games to preserve a .500 record.
Auburn Tigers (24-24, 3-17 SEC)
Following a solid run in the NCAA Regional in 2025, Auburn kicked off the 2026 campaign by winning 17 of its first 23 games, including triumphs over top-25-ranked Clemson (10-5) on Feb. 7 and Oregon (10-5) on Feb. 19.
Once SEC play began, the season took a bit of a turn. The Tigers' only three league victories include two wins over Kentucky and a recent upset over Florida last week.
The Tigers have been led by Alyssa Hastings (.369/.460/.566) and Kylie Shaw (.331/.506/.421) in the box and Ella Harrison in the circle. Harrison has hurdled 139.2 innings of the Tigers 297.2, posting a win-loss record of 11-12 and an ERA of 3.61 with 133 strikeouts.
Upon dropping back-to-back games against Ole Miss, 6-2 (8) and 13-11, Auburn must prevent a sweep. The Tigers have four games left to retain a .500 average. War Eagle Nation must add two more tallies to the W column for a chance at making the postseason. Auburn will hit the road to face LSU in the final regular season series from April 30 to May 2.
Kentucky Wildcats (26-27, 1-22 SEC)
Kentucky made a run in the 2025 Clemson Regional, eliminating Northwestern before ultimately losing to first-ranked and host Clemson.
The Wildcats set a strong foundation at the start of the 2026 stint going 4-1 at the San Diego State Season Kickoff. They defeated then-ranked No. 13 Stanford 11-7 at the Stanford Invitational then proceeded with a perfect 5-0 weekend at the Blues City Invitational in Memphis, Tenn.
Big Blue Nation took game one from Auburn, 8-3, the day SEC play launched on March 6. It has not won a conference game since, dropping 21 straight SEC sanctioned contests, 11 which have been cut short due to the mercy-rule.
Kentucky has three hitters averaging .350 or better including Allie Blum, Carly Sleeman, and Karissa Hamilton. Blum's 60 hits are good for ninth in the SEC, while the sophomore's 14 steals place her fifth in the conference. Hamilton is tied for first in triples with six total.
The Cats were run-ruled by No. 8 Texas, 12-2 in six innings on Friday and lost 6-1 on Saturday. With one game remaining in the regular season, Kentucky must dig deep for an upset win over the Longhorns on Senior Day to keep its NCAA postseason chances alive.
The 2026 SEC Softball Tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 to Saturday, May 9 at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. All 15 teams make the tournament in a single-elimination format with the top four teams receiving a bye into the Quarterfinals. The winner of the conference tournament will be granted the league's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
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Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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