UT Tyler Team to Beat in 2026
Two-time defending national champions UT Tyler is the unanimous preseason favorite in the 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Patriots (62-5) went 5-0 at the NCAA DII National Championships and 10-1 overall in the 2025 postseason.
Not only did UT Tyler run through the DII World Series undefeated for the second straight season, it shut out its final three opponents, a first-time feat during the Championship Series since its inception in 2016.
Additionally, the back-to-back titles were first in Division II since California (Pa.) in 1997 and 1998. Since 2022 – the program’s first official season qualifying for the NCAA Division II postseason – the Patriots have won two national championships and reached two national semifinals.
There will be a different look in the Patriot dugout in 2026 as NFCA Hall of Fame head coach Mike Reed announced his retirement on January 9. The only head coach in the program’s history finished with 880 victories at UT Tyler and 985 in his illustrious coaching career.
Jason Miller will serve as the interim head coach in 2026.
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Three Others Looking to Take the Top Spot
The next three spots are filled by 2025 national runner-up Tampa at No. 2 and semifinalists Western Washington and Pace at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Tampa
In its first-ever national finals appearance, Tampa (48-12) reached the Championship Series by winning its first three games at the finals site before falling to the Patriots.
Head coach Leslie Kanter and the Spartans, who have won the last four Sunshine State Conference titles, were voted as co-favorites in the league’s coach’s poll in 2026.
Western Washington
Western Washington (47-13), who were national runners-up in 2024, bounced back from a one-run loss to UT Tyler in its opener to win a pair of close elimination games over North Georgia and Central Oklahoma, before dropping a 2-0 contest to the Patriots in the semifinals.
Under head coach Sheryl Gilmore, the Vikings have combined to go 99-25 the past two seasons.
Pace
The Setters (48-13) enjoyed their most successful season in program history with numerous firsts in 2025. Under the guidance of Claudia Stabile, who begins her 45th season leading the program, Pace won its first Super Regional, earned a trip to the National Championship and smashed its single-season wins record, which originally was 33.
In Chattanooga, they finished 2-2 in four tightly-contested contests, earning wins over Shippensburg and Saginaw Valley State.
No’s 5-10
National Championship participants – Saginaw Valley State (49-15), North Georgia (48-16) and Shippensburg (36-22) – come in at No. 5 through 7 with Super Regional squads – No. 8 West Texas A&M (56-8), No. 9 Augustana (50-11) and No. 10 Francis Marion (53-6) rounding out the preseason top 10.
Conference Leaders
*** The Lone Star Conference – No. 1 UT Tyler, No. 8 West Texas A&M, No. 13 Angelo State and No. 25 Oklahoma Christian – led the way with four teams in the rankings.
*** The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (No. 11 Central Oklahoma, No. 18 Rogers State, No. 24 Missouri Southern),
*** The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (No. 7 Shippensburg, No. 15 East Stroudsburg, No. 16 Kutztown) and Sunshine State Conference (No. 2 Tampa, No. 20 Saint Leo, No. 23 Barry) followed with three programs apiece with the California Collegiate Athletic Association (No. 14 Cal State San Marcos, No. 17 Cal State East Bay) represented by two teams.
10 more conferences had one national-ranked program.
2026 Season Starts Friday
The NCAA Division II softball season opens up on Friday, Jan. 30 with the weekend featuring three Top 25 matchups.
*** No. 2 Tampa will host No. 25 Oklahoma Christian in a doubleheader.
*** At the Gulf Shores Invitational, No. 12 Auburn Montgomery faces off against No. 18 Rogers State and No. 20 Saint Leo.
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The 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee.
The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
The first poll of the regular season will be announced on Tuesday, Feb. 10 and every Tuesday at noon ET throughout the 2026 season.
2026 NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
(Preseason)
RANK | TEAM (First-Place Votes) | POINTS | RECORD |
1 | UT Tyler (16) | 400 | 0-0 |
2 | Tampa | 383 | 0-0 |
3 | Western Washington | 369 | 0-0 |
4 | Pace | 350 | 0-0 |
5 | Saginaw Valley State | 338 | 0-0 |
6 | North Georgia | 318 | 0-0 |
7 | Shippensburg | 302 | 0-0 |
8 | West Texas A&M | 272 | 0-0 |
9 | Augustana | 265 | 0-0 |
10 | Francis Marion | 264 | 0-0 |
11 | Central Oklahoma | 243 | 0-0 |
12 | AUM | 239 | 0-0 |
13 | Angelo State | 205 | 0-0 |
14 | Cal State San Marcos | 184 | 0-0 |
15 | East Stroudsburg | 181 | 0-0 |
16 | Kutztown | 154 | 0-0 |
17 | Cal State East Bay | 133 | 0-0 |
18 | Rogers State | 124 | 0-0 |
19 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 103 | 0-0 |
20 | Saint Leo | 99 | 0-0 |
21 | Wilmington | 82 | 0-0 |
22 | Indianapolis | 64 | 0-0 |
23 | Barry | 55 | 0-0 |
24 | Missouri Southern | 41 | 0-0 |
25 | Oklahoma Christian | 22 | 0-0 |
Receiving Votes:Â Southern Arkansas (4), Hillsdale (3), Concordia (2), Wingate (1).
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The 2026 NFCA/Go Rout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
NFCA D2 Top 25 Poll Committee
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