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Top 10 College Softball recruiting classes for 2026
Top 10 College Softball recruiting classes for 2026
The 2025 Women's College World Series has been electric so far. The average margin of victory is just 2.36 runs per game. Tennessee's 11-3 win over UCLA is the only game with a margin of victory greater than three. Of the 11 games played pending Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech in the evening, there have been eight games with a margin of victory of two runs or less. Four of those games were one-run games.
The level of competition in this Women's College World Series has been fantastic. And that's in large part due to the level of commitment athletic departments across the country are putting into softball. Programs across the country are investing more resources into facilities, recruiting at both the high school and transfer ranks, and developing that talent, raising the level of play across the sport.
In the SEC, there doesn't seem to be a huge gap between the top teams like Oklahoma and Texas and those at the bottom of the standings. And down the road, the gap may close even further. Taking a look at Softball America and On3's recruiting rankings for the 2026 recruiting class, nine of the top 10 teams in the national rankings are from the SEC and 12 of the top 15. All 15 SEC programs rank inside the top 18 recruiting classes in the country with Alabama coming in at No. 18.
The only non-SEC team to rank inside the top 10 is the Oregon Ducks, led by former Oklahoma assistant and player Melyssa Lombardi.
Here's a look at the top 10 recruiting classes for 2026 according to Softball America and On3.
Just missed the top 10: Arkansas, Cal, NC State, South Carolina, Kentucky.
10. Oregon Ducks
No. of Commitments: 5
Blue Chip Prospects: 3
Top Rated Player: Bailey Goldberg, INF - No. 32 overall
Under Ducks coach Melyssa Lombardi, the Oregon Ducks won the Big Ten in their first year in the league and were the only team in the Women's College World Series to rank in the top 10 in ERA, team batting average, and fielding percentage. The Ducks have three top-50 players committed to the class and are hoping to build off of their success in 2025.
No. of Commitments: 7
Blue Chip Prospects: 5
Top Rated Player: Milan Torres, OF - No. 26 overall
The Texas A&M Aggies had a great season, spending several weeks at No. 1, finishing in second place in the SEC and earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Aggies had a disappointing College Station regional, getting upset by Liberty and earning the distinction as the only No. 1 overall seed to lose in the regional round. The Aggies recruiting class features three top-50 players.
8. Auburn Tigers
No. of Commitments: 6
Blue Chip Prospects: 4
Top Rated Player: Cece Springfield, OF - No. 27 overall
The Auburn Tigers had a disappointing 2025 season but that hasn't stopped them from putting together a strong recruiting class in 2026. The Tigers have four top-100 commitments in the cycle.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
No. of Commitments: 12
Blue Chip Prospects: 5
Top Rated Player: Charli Calas, INF - No. 17 overall
Ole Miss has 12 players committed in the 2026 recruiting class, which is more than any program inside the top 25. Six of those players rank inside the top 100 of Softball America and On3's recruiting rankings. The Rebels are certainly hoping a strength-in-numbers plan of attack pays off after a run to the Women's College World Series.
No. of Commitments: 5
Blue Chip Prospects: 3
Top Rated Player: Kynzee Anderson, P - No. 10 overall
Despite finishing 12th in the SEC during the regular season, the Georgia Bulldogs had a nice run in the NCAA Tournament. The Dawgs knocked of Durham regional host Duke and took Florida to a game three in the super regionals. Their recruiting class features three top-50 prospects, including the No. 10 overall player and No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana, Kynzee Anderson.
5. Tennessee Volunteers
No. of Commitments: 4
Blue Chip Prospects: 3
Top Rated Player: Avary Stockwell, C - No. 13 overall
Tennessee's class is smaller than the rest of the top five, but it has star power to it. Stockwell is the No. 3 catcher in the class and the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee.
4. Texas Longhorns
No. of Commitments: 6
Blue Chip Prospects: 4
Top Rated Player: Annie Abdullah, INF - No. 2 overall player
The Texas Longhorns have two of the top five players in the class signed in the 2026 class in Abdullah and Grandview pitcher Madi Doty.
3. Florida Gators
No. of Commitments: 6
Blue Chip Prospects: 6
Top Rated Player: Caroline Stanton, P - No. 1 overall
Three of Florida's top four players in the class come from the state of Georgia, including the No. 1 overall player Caroline Stanton. They also pulled infielder Brooklyn Gidley out of College Station, Texas. Surprisingly, the Gators don't have a player from the state of Florida signed in 2026.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
No. of Commitments: 6
Blue Chip Prospects: 6
Top Rated Player: Ki'ele Ho-Ching, INF - No. 2 overall
The Oklahoma Sooners have recruited well across the country, bringing in the No. 1 player in California, Oklahoma, and Hawaii, the No. 2 player in Texas, and the No. 4 player in Arizona. Pitcher E.K. Smith out of Katy, Texas is considered the No. 6 pitcher in the country.
1. LSU Tigers
No. of Commitments: 7
Blue Chip Prospects: 6
Top Rated Player: Samantha Alekman, C - No. 5 overall
The LSU Tigers have five five-star prospects heading to Baton Rouge in the 2026 class, including four players in the top 10 and two of the top five pitchers in the class.
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