NAIA Softball Defending Champions Earn Unanimous Preseason No. 1 Ranking for 2026

The NAIA defending champion, Southern Oregon, will open the 2026 season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, according to the preseason coaches poll.

Southern Oregon was named the unanimous preseason No. 1 ahead of the 2026 season on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. | Southern Oregon Athletics

After fighting through the elimination bracket during the 2025 NAIA World Series, Southern Oregon clinched the national title and now enters the 2026 season on top of the preseason rankings.

The Raiders clinched their fourth title in six years and earned all 17 first-place votes. It's just the third time in school history that Southern Oregon will open a season ranked No. 1.

Jessica Pistole, who was named the NAIA Coach of the Year for a fourth time, brings back a roster loaded with talent.

Five starters and 15 players return to the dugout in 2026, and leading the way will be NAIA Pitcher of the Year and World Series Most Valuable Player Ayla Davies, who went 38-5 with a 1.20 ERA over 297 innings as a freshman.

The NAIA season opens on Jan. 22, 2016, and the first poll of the regular season will be released March 4.

The journey to Columbus starts now. Check out the NAIA Softball Preseason Top 25! #GrowTheGame pic.twitter.com/FOSDKDWWAo

— NAIA SB (@NAIASB_) November 5, 2025

NAIA Softball Preseason Top 25

Here is a look at the top 25 along with the program's record from 2025. Because this is the first poll of the season, there is no previous ranking column.

1. Southern Oregon, 55-9

2. Oklahoma City, 53-11

3. Eastern Oregon, 38-11

4. Georgia Gwinnett, 48-10

5. Marian (Ind.), 48-9

6. Grand View (Iowa), 42-16

7. Cumberlands (Ky.), 40-9

8. Central Methodist (Mo.), 42-11

9. Science & Arts (Okla.), 50-9

10. Oregon Tech, 45-11

11. Midland (Neb.), 40-18

12. Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), 47-9

13. LSU Alexandria (La.), 47-9

14. Madonna (Mich.), 45-10

15. Reinhardt (Ga.), 32-12

16. Missouri Baptist, 46-8

17. Northwestern (Iowa), 48-13

19. Southeastern (Fla.), 42-11

20. Indiana Wesleyan, 44-11

21. Hope International (Calif.), 37-15

22. Texas A&M University - Texarkana, 41-12

23. Saint Xavier (Ill.), 37-8

24. Rio Grande (Ohio), 46-11

25. Evangel (Mo.), 42-12

Receiving Votes: Mobile (Ala.) 50; Friends (Kan.) 44; College of Idaho 39; William Carey (Miss.) 18; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 16; Baker (Kan.) 13; Campbellsville (Ky.) 11; Morningside (Iowa) 9; Tennessee Southern 8; Benedictine (Kan.) 6; Keiser (Fla.) 5; British Columbia 5; Indiana Tech 3; Coastal Georgia (Ga.) 2

NAIA Poll Methodology

• The national poll is for publicity purposes only and does not influence the selection process for national championship consideration.
• A panel of head coaches representing each conference and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) votes in the poll.
• The Top 25 teams are selected using a points-based system: 30 points for a 1st-place vote, 29 for 2nd, 28 for 3rd, and so on.
• The highest and lowest rankings received by each team are discarded before final tallying.
  Teams receiving only one point are not listed as "receiving votes."

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