NCAA softball teams to watch as SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 conference tournaments begin

As the adage goes, April showers bring May flowers … and softball tournaments. OK, maybe that’s not the saying, but it is May, and that means the road to the Women’s College World Series has opened. The best softball teams in the country begin their journeys to Oklahoma City, starting with conference tournaments this week.

Much like March Madness, teams can earn berths in the NCAA regionals by winning their conference tournaments. The rest of the 64-team field will be chosen by the NCAA softball committee. Teams with impressive runs in the conference tournaments can bolster their resumes, so it’s an important week for all teams. Here’s what you need to know:

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SEC

There is no stronger conference in softball than the SEC. After the latest USA softball poll rankings were released Tuesday, the top six teams (Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Arkansas) are all SEC squads, with LSU (9) also appearing in the top 10. Oklahoma has won the past four national championships under head coach Patty Gasso, and it is once again the team to beat.

The top four seeds in the tournament (Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas, Tennessee) get byes to the quarterfinals Thursday in Athens, Georgia. If games go to seed, you do not want to miss the matchup at 2 p.m. Thursday between Tennessee and Arkansas, as it could feature the best pitcher in the SEC — Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens, who has a 0.96 ERA — and the best hitter in the SEC — Arkansas’ Bri Ellis, who is fourth in the NCAA in batting average at .487 and second in the nation in home runs with 25.

How to watch: Through the quarterfinals, the games will be on SEC Network. The semifinals on Friday and the championship game on Saturday will be on ESPN2. Find the full bracket and schedule here.

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Big Ten

While the SEC is the power player, the Big Ten definitely has the ability to act as a spoiler in the Women’s College World Series. Oregon, ranked seventh in this week’s poll, and UCLA, ranked 10th, can come up with big wins in preparation for the NCAA road ahead of them. Meanwhile, schools like Nebraska, ranked 19th, and Ohio State, ranked 22nd, can use the tournament to bolster their resumes as they want to host regionals.

In the Big Ten, 12 of the top 17 teams in the league will play in the tournament in West Lafayette, Indiana. The top four seeds have byes into the quarterfinals. Eight-seeded Michigan, the previous year’s tournament champion, will play nine-seeded Wisconsin for the right to take on Oregon on Wednesday.

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If you’re a fan of hitting, you’ll want to tune in to this tournament. Indiana’s Taylor Minnick and Ohio State’s Jasmyn Burns are ranked fifth and sixth in the NCAA in batting average, respectively. UCLA’s Savannah Pola is one to watch at the plate, as well, as she’s fifth in the country with 81 hits.

How to watch: The entire tournament, starting Wednesday and ending with the championship game Saturday, will air on the Big Ten Network. Find the complete schedule and bracket here.

ACC and Big 12

While the SEC and Big Ten dominate softball, they aren’t everything. In the Big 12, Arizona and Texas Tech stand out, while Florida State and Virginia Tech can make noise for the ACC. NiJaree Canady, a transfer to Texas Tech from Stanford, is the best pitcher in the country with an ERA of 0.89 and 237 strikeouts. In the ACC, keep an eye out for Florida State’s Isa Torres at the plate. She sports a .477 average this season with 44 RBI and eight home runs.

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How to watch: The ACC Network will be the home for all of the ACC tournament except for the championship game, which will air on ESPN on Saturday from Boston College. Find the full ACC schedule here. Meanwhile, the Big 12 tournament will be on ESPN+, with the championship Saturday on ESPN from Oklahoma City. Click here for the full Big 12 schedule.