Big Ten Sends Eight Teams to NCAA Softball Tournament
Oregon, UCLA receive top 16 seeds, set to host regional round Â
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has qualified eight teams for the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Championship. Michigan received the conference’s automatic bid, while Indiana, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA and Washington earned at-large bids.
UCLA (No.9 seed) and Oregon (No. 16 seed) will each host this weekend’s regional. The NCAA field includes 64 teams taking part in 16 on-campus regionals in a double-elimination format May 16-18. Sixteen winners will advance to eight on-campus, super regionals May 22-25 with winners advancing to the NCAA Women’s College World Series, to be held May 29-June 5/6, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. The WCWS is double elimination during bracket play and best-of-three for the championship series.
Nine-seed UCLA (49-10) hosts UC Santa Barbara on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Bruins boast 12 National Championships and will be making their 40th NCAA Tournament appearance.
16-seed Oregon (47-7) will begin postseason play at home against Weber State on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Ducks won their first-ever Big Ten Championship with a 19-3 conference record and will be making their fifth-straight and 25th appearance overall.
Michigan (38-19), which captured its second consecutive Big Ten Tournament Championship on Saturday, will meet UCF in the Austin Regional on Friday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Michigan has qualified for 24 of the past 25 NCAA tournaments and will make its 31st appearance overall.
Indiana (33-18) heads to Fayetteville, Ark., and will begin the postseason against Oklahoma State on Friday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Hoosiers advanced to the quarterfinals of this year’s Big Ten Tournament.
Nebraska (39-13) will head to LSU as part of the Baton Rouge Regional and will play UConn on Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Sunday’s selection marks the Huskers’ 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and 23rd in the last 30 seasons.
Northwestern (29-18-1) begins its NCAA Tournament run against Kentucky on Friday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Wildcats will be making their fifth-straight NCAA appearance.
Ohio State (43-12-1) will take on North Carolina in the first game of the Knoxville Regional on Friday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNU. This will be Ohio State’s 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and the sixth in the last 10 seasons.
Washington (34-17) will make its 31st consecutive NCAA Regional appearance, heading to the Lubbock Regional to face Mississippi State on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Austin Regional (Austin, Texas)
Michigan (38-19) vs. UCF (33-22-1) – Friday, May 16, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Other regional teams: No. 6 Texas (46-10), Eastern Illinois (34-20)
Clemson Regional (Clemson, S.C.)
Northwestern (29-18-1) vs. Kentucky (29-26) – Friday, May 16, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN+
Other regional teams: No. 11 Clemson (44-12), USC Upstate (39-14)
Baton Rouge Regional (Baton Rouge, La.)
Nebraska (39-13) vs. UConn (35-17) – Friday, May 16, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+
Other regional teams: No. 10 LSU (41-14), Southeastern Louisiana (48-14)
Fayetteville Regional (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Indiana (33-18) vs. Oklahoma State (33-18) – Friday, May 16, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Other regional teams: No. 4 Arkansas (40-12), Saint Louis (34-22)
Knoxville Regional (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Ohio State (43-12-1) vs. North Carolina (40-15) – Friday, May 16, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Other regional teams: No. 7 Tennessee (40-14), Miami (OH) (35-24)
Los Angeles Regional (Los Angeles, Calif.)
No. 9 UCLA (49-10) vs. UC Santa Barbara (34-24) – Friday, May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+
Other regional teams: San Diego State (37-17), Arizona State (35-19)
Eugene Regional (Eugene, Ore.)
No. 16 Oregon (47-7) vs. Weber State (28-30) – Friday, May 16, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
Other regional teams: Binghamton (36-12), Stanford (40-11)
Lubbock Regional (Lubbock, Texas)
Washington (34-17) vs. Mississippi State (37-17) – Friday, May 16, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Other regional teams: No. 12 Texas Tech (45-12), Brown (33-15)