KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After an impressive 2025 campaign that saw the University of Tennessee Southern softball team finish 33-21 and place third in the SSAC Championship, the Firehawks have earned recognition in the 2026 NAIA Softball Preseason Top 25, receiving votes among the nation's best.
UT Southern came up just two wins shy of advancing to the NAIA World Series, falling in the regional final to host and No. 8-ranked Central Methodist after making a strong postseason run through the NAIA Opening Round. The Firehawks' 2025 season featured several signature victories and a deep SSAC Tournament showing that solidified their reputation as one of the conference's most consistent programs.
The No. 1-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders, fresh off their comeback run through the elimination bracket to capture the 2025 NAIA National Championship, open the year at the top spot after receiving 17 first-place votes. No. 2 Oklahoma City, No. 3 Eastern Oregon, and No. 4 Georgia Gwinnett round out the top four.
Within the Southern States Athletic Conference, Mobile and William Carey each received votes alongside Tennessee Southern, highlighting the continued depth of the league heading into the 2026 season.
The 2026 regular season will officially begin on January 22, when teams can play their first countable games.
2026 NAIA Softball Preseason Top 25 Poll
| Rank |
Institution [First-Place Votes] |
2025 Record |
Points |
| 1 |
Southern Oregon [17] |
55-9 |
450 |
| 2 |
Oklahoma City |
53-11 |
435 |
| 3 |
Eastern Oregon |
38-11 |
418 |
| 4 |
Georgia Gwinnett |
48-10 |
398 |
| 5 |
Marian (Ind.) |
48-9 |
375 |
| 6 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
42-16 |
373 |
| 7 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
40-9 |
357 |
| 8 |
Central Methodist (Mo.) |
42-11 |
343 |
| 9 |
Science & Arts (Okla.) |
50-9 |
340 |
| 10 |
Oregon Tech |
45-11 |
321 |
| 11 |
Midland (Neb.) |
40-18 |
282 |
| 12 |
Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) |
47-9 |
280 |
| 13 |
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
47-9 |
273 |
| 14 |
Madonna (Mich.) |
45-10 |
247 |
| 15 |
Reinhardt (Ga.) |
32-12 |
238 |
| 16 |
Missouri Baptist |
46-8 |
235 |
| 17 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
48-13 |
207 |
| 18 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
46-8 |
199 |
| 19 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
42-11 |
184 |
| 20 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
44-11 |
162 |
| 21 |
Hope International (Calif.) |
37-15 |
149 |
| 22 |
Texas A&M University - Texarkana |
41-12 |
121 |
| 23 |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
37-8 |
119 |
| 24 |
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
46-11 |
90 |
| 25 |
Evangel (Mo.) |
42-12 |
75 |
Teams Receiving Votes
Mobile (Ala.) 50; Friends (Kan.) 44; College of Idaho 39; William Carey (Miss.) 18; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 16; Tennessee Southern 8; Baker (Kan.) 13; Campbellsville (Ky.) 11; Morningside (Iowa) 9; Benedictine (Kan.) 6; Keiser (Fla.) 5; British Columbia 5; Indiana Tech 3; Coastal Georgia (Ga.) 2
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, with 30 points awarded for a first-place vote, 29 for second, and so on. The highest and lowest rankings for each team are discarded before tallying.
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