No. 4 USAO to Host NAIA Softball Opening Round for the Sixth Year in a Row
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Friday, the NAIA announced that No. 4 ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (47-8, 33-3 SAC) will once again be a host for the 2026 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. The national tournament appearance is the 13th in program history, including a current run of nine consecutive appearances. The opening round will take place May 11-14 at Bill Smith Ballpark.
Host sites were selected by the NAIA National Office in consultation with the National Selection Committee. Selections were based on a combination of geography, facility quality, and host readiness, with institutions submitting bids by the April 15 deadline.
Before the action begins on the field, the full 48-team national championship field will be unveiled live on the PlayNAIA YouTube channel at 5 p.m. CT on May 6, giving teams and fans their first look at the road to the title.
Once play begins, 48 teams will start their championship journey across 10 campus sites nationwide, all with one goal in mind — a trip to the NAIA Softball World Series.
Each Opening Round will feature a double-elimination format, with eight sites hosting five-team brackets and two sites hosting four-team brackets. When the dust settles, 10 teams will punch their ticket to South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus for the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series, beginning May 21.
The hosting bid is the sixth in a row for the Drovers, with Bethany College (Kan.) emerging victorious and advanced to the World Series in 2021, followed by USAO winning and advancing to the World Series in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Grand View (Iowa) advanced to the world series out of our bracket last season.
With elite competition, high stakes, and championship dreams on the line, the Opening Round promises four days of can't-miss softball action across the country broadcast for free on the Urban Edge Network.
USAO Athletic Director Mike Ross said," We are very excited to be selected as a national host once again this year. After the success of this event over the last five years, record breaking attendance, record viewership on our live stream, and the support from the City of Chickasha and the Chamber of Commerce I knew we had a great chance to get to host again." Ross continued by saying," Hosting allows us to bring in various teams from around the country to our great city and also gives our softball team a chance to clinch a world series berth in front of our home crowd."
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Central Methodist (Mo.) | Fayette, Mo. |
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Cumberlands (Ky.) | Williamsburg, Ky. |
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Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | Columbia, Ky. |
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Mobile (Ala.) | Mobile, Ala. |
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Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City |
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Oregon Tech | Klamath Falls, Ore. |
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Science & Arts (Okla.) | Chickasha, Okla. |
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Southeastern (Fla.) | Lakeland, Fla. |
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Southern Oregon | Ashland, Ore. |
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William Carey (Miss.) | Hattiesburg, Miss. |
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Saturday (May 2), the Drovers will host No. 2 seed Oklahoma City University in the SAC Tournament championship game for the eighth year in a row. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM CT at Bill Smith Ballpark.
Since 2018, USAO has won the tournament four times, and Oklahoma City has won it three times.
• Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Championships: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 (5)
• Sooner Athletic Conference Regular Season Championships: 2004, 2019, 2025, 2026 (4)
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS!!
- Chickasha Chamber of Commerce
- Chicken Express
- City of Chickasha
- Standley Systems
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