Between the Super Bowl (and, of course, the Bad Bunny halftime show) and the Winter Olympics, sports fans were fed this weekend. Add the opening weekend of college softball? That’s the cherry on top of the cake.
It was more than enough to have the game’s best back in action, but the chaos that occurred not only made ranking incredibly difficult but also felt like the high-quality softball we get in June.
This was the first glance at how squads have shaped up after a busy transfer portal season, a sneak peek at new freshmen faces and a chance to see if stars like Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady are just as dominant. Along with rankings, I’ll also be shining the spotlight on one player from each team that stood out this weekend.
Note: When referring to teams’ rankings for this weekend’s games, these are based on the USA Softball rankings.Â
1. Texas Tech
Last week’s ranking: 1
Record: 6-0
The Red Raiders picked up right where they left off at the end of last season, mowing down opponents with a measured offensive attack while leaning on dominance in the circle. NiJaree Canady had her best performance of the weekend against No. 11 Texas A&M, holding the Aggies to just two runs in a complete game effort. Canady also launched a grand slam against North Texas. Florida transfer Mia Williams and Mihyia Davis led the way at the plate, while UCLA transfer Kaitlyn Terry stunned on both sides of the ball.
Player that stood out: Mia Williams, .688 average (11-16), 3 HR, 13 RBI, 4 BB, 3-4 SB
NIJAREE CANADY. GRAND SLAM. 🤯#NCAASoftball x 🎥 @TexasTechSB
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) February 6, 2026
2. Texas
Last week’s ranking: 2
Record: 4-1
Texas was tested this weekend with pairs of ranked matchups against No. 25 Washington and No. 9 Nebraska. The Longhorns’ lone loss came against the Huskers, 8-5, in somewhat less of a slugfest than their 15-10 victory against Jordy (Bahl) Frahm and company earlier in the weekend. Jitters and rust are expected in the first weekend of the season, especially as the reigning champions, but I wouldn’t be too worried about Teagan Kavan and the rest of the Longhorns’ pitching staff for now.
Player that stood out: Reese Atwood, .500 (8-16), 3 HR, 10 RBI, 1.663 OPS
Texas came out 4-1 against a ranked slate to open the season. (Bryan Terry / Imagn Images)
3. Tennessee
Last week’s ranking: 5
Record: 5-0
The Vols, led by star pitcher Karlyn Pickens, are off to an undefeated start with two wins against ranked teams under their belt, a 6-1 win over No. 21 Liberty and a 2-0 shutout victory against No. 5 Oregon. Tennessee’s pitching staff tallied 42 strikeouts to just nine walks over 31 innings, holding opponents to a .121 average.
Player that stood out: Karlyn Pickens, 2-0, 0 ER, 2 CG, 22 K
4. Oklahoma
Last week’s ranking: 3
Record: 3-1
The Sooners had some early challenges right off the bat against Arizona teams, eking out a 2-1 victory over Kenzie Brown and the Sun Devils and suffering an 11-6 upset loss to the No. 18 Wildcats. The next day, however, we got a glimpse of the powerhouse Oklahoma so many softball fans have come to know and love, sweeping the rest of the series against Arizona, 21-3 (5 innings) and 5-4.
Player that stood out: Gabbie Garcia, .429 (6-14), 4 HR, 6 RBI
Gabbie Garcia… AGAIN 💣#NCAASoftball x 🎥 ESPN+ / @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/pP4TuUBR9G
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) February 8, 2026
5. Florida State
Last week’s ranking: 6
Record: 5-0
While the Seminoles didn’t face the most difficult competition this weekend, they took care of business, outscoring opponents 36-7 en route to a perfect start to the season. Isa Torres and Jaysoni Beachum led the way at the plate, while the duo of Jazzy Francik and Ashtyn Danley in the circle set the tone for the ACC favorites.
Player that stood out: Jazzy Francik, 0 ER, 2-0, .070 BAA, 17 K
6. Florida
Last week’s ranking: 10
Record: 5-0
The Gators did not face any ranked opponents this weekend and handled each matchup with relative ease. In fact, Florida will not face any teams ranked in preseason top 25 lists until UCLA on Feb. 27. However, it was a strong showing for the trio of returners in the circle in Keagan Rothrock, Katelynn Oxley and Ava Brown, who allowed just four earned runs total to open the season.
Player that stood out: Keagan Rothrock, 17.2 IP, 22 K, CG, .105 BAA
7. UCLA
Last week’s ranking: 7
Record: 5-0
The Bruins’ bats showed up from the get-go, scoring in the double digits in each matchup, headlined by an 18-1 (5 innings) domination over UC Santa Barbara. UCLA will be competing in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational, which will be a better barometer of where they stand. Either way, whatever concerns there may be about the Bruins’ pitching staff after losing Kaitlyn Terry and Addisen Fisher, it appears Taylor Tinsley will have plenty of run support if the lineup can continue to score at this rate.
Player(s) that stood out: Jordan Woolery, .667 (10-15), 5 HR, 2 2B, 14 RBI and Megan Grant, .636 (7-11), 5 HR, 11 RBI, 6 BB, 2.789 OPS
8. Nebraska
Last week’s ranking: 9
Record: 3-2
If there’s one thing we learned about the Huskers this weekend, it’s that they can hit, tallying 12 home runs as a team to start the year, half of which came against the reigning champion Longhorns. In two games each against No. 1 (tied) Texas and No. 25 Washington, Nebraska split to walk away with two ranked wins on the weekend. It’s also worth mentioning that the Huskers came back from a 9-2 deficit in an eventual 15-10 loss to the Longhorns, showing they have a lot of fight.
Player that stood out: Lauren Camenzind, 2 HR, 5 RBI
9. Stanford
Last week’s ranking: 14
Record: 5-0
The Cardinal made their presence known, notching two ranked wins over No. 24 Oklahoma State to christen their new stadium. While the first was a tight 2-1 battle, Stanford’s bats came to life in the second game, taking down the Cowgirls 10-0 (5 innings) in a mercy-rule victory. The returning core was the difference-makers, with Taryn Kern and River Mahler having strong starts at the plate and Zoe Prystajko shutting down opponents in the circle while tallying 19 strikeouts on the weekend. Their next big test comes against Oregon on Feb. 15.
Player that stood out: Taryn Kern, .733 (11-15), HR, 4 2B, 3B, 5 RBI
10. Texas A&M
Last week’s ranking: 11
Record: 4-1
The Aggies’ disappointing end to last season didn’t seem to hang over them, with their lone loss of the weekend coming against No. 1 Texas Tech. Texas A&M racked up three mercy-rule victories before facing the Red Raiders, in which pitcher Sidne Peters shut down a prominent offense to give the Aggies a chance going into the final inning — a much-welcome sight going into the season without ace Emilie Kennedy. What appeared to start as an all-out slugfest with homers in the first inning turned into a battle in the circle, and Texas A&M showed it’s in for the fight to start off the year.
Player that stood out: Sidne Peters, 2-0, 0.62 ERA, CG, 20 K
Aggies respond 🔥#NCAASoftball x 🎥 SECN+ / @AggieSoftball pic.twitter.com/OjHCcRto2M
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) February 7, 2026
11. Arkansas
Last week’s ranking: 7
Record: 4-1
The Razorbacks put on an offensive clinic, run-ruling opponents in four out of their five games while scoring a whopping total of 60 runs. Arkansas’ lone loss of the weekend came at the hands of unranked Virginia, 4-2. Had the Razorbacks not already beaten the Cavaliers 17-1 in five innings the day prior, these rankings may have looked different, considering the level of the other two opponents in Coastal Carolina and Akron.
Player(s) that stood out: Tianna Bell, .611 (11-18), 2 2B, 4 RBI and Kennedy Miller, .571 (4-7), HR, 2B, 7 RBI
12. Clemson
Last week’s ranking: 12
Record: 3-2
It was a weekend of highs and lows. There surely are things for each team to iron out in the lead-up to conference play in March. After an extra-innings victory over a standout from last year’s NCAA Tournament in SE Louisiana, Clemson upset No. 5 Oregon, 6-5, while also taking down No. 23 Liberty, 9-4. However, the Tigers lost to two unranked teams in Auburn and Michigan State.
Player that stood out: Jamison Brockenbrough, .333 (4-12), 5 RBI, 7 BB, HR, 2 SB
13. Virginia Tech
Last week’s ranking: 22
Record: 5-0
The Hokies made statements in both of their ranked wins over No. 14 South Carolina, upsetting the Gamecocks with 8-4 and 8-5 victories. While Virginia Tech was victorious in its two close calls against Binghamton and Winthrop, it showed some offensive prowess in a run-rule victory against Binghamton as well. The most notable thing about the Hokies is that their wins were all-around efforts, with six players tallying at least six hits, seven different players homering, and a staff approach in the circle.
Player(s) that stood out: Nora Abromavage, .462 (6-13), 2 HR, 2 2B, 8 RBI SB, and Bree Carrico, 0.72 ERA, 13 K, .152 BAA
14. Oregon
Last week’s ranking: 4
Record: 2-3
Needless to say, this wasn’t the start the Ducks wanted, but it’s worth noting that two of their three losses came against ranked opponents in Clemson and Tennessee. However, the loss to SE Louisiana, who, as mentioned earlier, is a formidable opponent, was the nail in the coffin for the drop in the rankings. Is the 10-spot drop a little harsh? Sure. But the Ducks’ pitching staff will have to step up to ensure a strong season, especially if the bats are being kept quiet against stars like Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens. It can’t all fall on Lyndsey Grein.
Player that stood out: Ayanna Shaw, .353 (6-17), 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, SB
Oregon tumbled down the rankings after a rough start this weekend. (Brett Rojo / Imagn Images)
15. LSU
Last week’s ranking: 16
Record: 6-0
The Tigers run-ruled opponents in four of their six games. While LSU didn’t face incredibly fierce competition (the only Power 4 conference teams they faced were NC State and Illinois), they outscored opponents 41-11 while showing some impressive talent in the circle. The Tigers will have some tougher opponents this coming weekend in Clearwater, starting with Nebraska.
Player(s) that stood out: Jayden Heavener, 2-0, 17 K, 2 CG and Tatum Clopton, 2-0, 0 ER, 9 K, .074 BAA
16. South Carolina
Last week’s ranking: 12
Record: 3-2
In its two ranked matchups against No. 21 Virginia Tech this weekend, South Carolina was not able to get the job done and avoid the upset, falling to the Hokies in 8-4 and 8-5 contests. Otherwise, the Gamecocks had an impressive showing offensively against Syracuse, Binghamton and Winthrop, scoring 42 runs in those three games alone.
Player that stood out: Tori Ensley, .471 (8-17), 3 2B, 3B, HR, 8 RBI, 5 R, 3 SB
17. Georgia
Last week’s ranking: 15
Record: 4-1
The Bulldogs faced no ranked opponents to start the season, with matchups against Missouri State, Fordham and Belmont. While that’s totally normal for many teams, the strength of schedule has been a prominent part of decision-making for regionals in the NCAA Tournament, and in that case, Georgia did as expected against these non-Power 4 opponents — mostly. In the last game of the weekend, the Bulldogs fell to unranked Belmont, 2-1. Belmont is led by star pitcher Maya Johnson, who led the Bruins to their first tournament appearance last season. In that last game, Johnson fanned 12 Georgia batters while walking just one.
Player that stood out: Tyler Ellison, .455 (5-11), 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2B, 4 BB
BRUINS WIN 💪@BelmontSoftball upsets No. 15 Georgia, 2-1!#NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/tQCYn1ta2C
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) February 8, 2026
18. Alabama
Last week’s ranking: 19
Record: 5-0
The Crimson Tide took down Villanova, East Carolina and Georgia Tech with relative ease. Alabama outscored opponents 51-6, which is nothing to sneeze at, but perhaps their two upcoming games against Liberty could be more telling.
Player that stood out: Vic Moten, 3-0, 0.93 ERA, 19 K, .146 BAA
19. Arizona
Last week’s ranking: 21
Record: 3-2
The Wildcats delivered one of the early shockers of the season, taking down the No. 3 Sooners, 11-6, led by a loud grand slam off the bat of Tayler Biehl. Though Arizona ended up dropping the series to Oklahoma, the final game was a close one, with the Sooners eking out a 5-4 victory. In its other two contests against Southern Utah, Arizona took care of business with run-rule victories, both 8-0 wins.
Player that stood out: Sereniti Trice, .563 (9-16), 2B, 3B, 6 R, 4 RBI, SB
20. Duke
Last week’s ranking: 17
Record: 4-1
It’s not that Duke necessarily had a bad weekend, but compared to other performances we saw from other ACC teams, it was bound to drop a few spots. The notable blemish on the Blue Devils’ record was a 2-1 loss to Boston University, while their games against UCF and Buffalo were also a tad close for comfort. But there’s no reason to count out Duke whatsoever.
Player that stood out: Cassidy Curd, 2-0, 12 K, .147 BA, CG
21. Washington
Last week’s ranking: 20
Record: 2-3
Though the Huskies finished their opening weekend below .500, it’s hard to fault them, as all came against top-10 opponents in Texas and Nebraska. Washington pulled out one upset over the Huskers in a 3-2 victory — in walk-off fashion — that included a standout performance at the plate from Ava Carroll against Jordy (Bahl) Frahm, one of the nation’s best pitchers. Notably, the Huskies were knotted at five runs apiece with the reigning champion Longhorns for quite some time before falling, 11-6.
Player that stood out: Alexis DeBoer, .462 (6-13), 3 HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 5 BB
WASHINGTON WALKS IT OFF 🤩#NCAASoftball x 🎥 ESPN+ / @UWSoftball pic.twitter.com/I4BsEQhUMS
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) February 8, 2026
22. Virginia
Last week’s ranking: 25
Record: 4-1
The big feat for the Hoos was a 4-2 upset victory over the No. 9 Razorbacks, led by a strong complete-game performance in the circle from Courtney Layne. Had Virginia not fallen to Arkansas 17-1 in a run-rule loss the day prior, it could have jumped up the rankings. The Hoos’ other wins came against Coastal Carolina and Akron.
Player(s) that stood out: Macee Eaton, .471 (8-17), 2 HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 4 R and Courtney Layne, 2-0, 0.55 ERA, 16 K, .116 BAA
23. Mississippi State
Last week’s ranking: 24
Record: 4-0
The Bulldogs dominated against perhaps the more difficult (traditionally, at least) opponent in Baylor with a 10-0 victory, while also outlasting Wichita State, 5-2, in extra innings.
Player that stood out: Alyssa Faircloth, 2-0, 0.73 WHIP, 21 K
24. Oklahoma State
Last week’s ranking: 19
Record: 3-2
It was a bit of a rough opening for the Cowgirls, at least in ranked matchups, as they fell in both games against No. 17 Stanford, the second coming via the run-rule in a 10-0 loss. Oklahoma State’s three wins came against Cal and San Jose State. While the losses to the Cardinal weren’t drastic, the Cowgirls seemed flat. We’ll see if that changes in Clearwater, where they’ll face Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, UCLA and Duke.
Player that stood out: Aubrey Jones, .455 (5-11), 3B, HR, 4 RBI, SB
25. Arizona State
Last week’s ranking: N/A
Record: 4-1
The Sun Devils got off to a great start, especially after nearly taking down No. 3 Oklahoma, 2-1, in their second game (what a way to open 2026!). That was their lone loss while they collected victories over Toledo, Texas State, Northwestern and Memphis. Kenzie Brown’s stunning performance in the circle against the Sooners bumped Arizona State into the rankings this week, while Ole Miss’ losses against unranked Cal State Fullerton and Boise State dropped them out this week.
Player that stood out: Kenzie Brown, 1-1. 1.05 ERA, 2 CG, 1 SV, 26 K, .130 BAA
Other teams to look out for: FAU, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Belmont, SE Louisiana