Arizona Hosts Tucson NCAA Softball Regional With Ole Miss, Grand Canyon, Santa Clara

Arizona Softball has been selected as the No. 13 overall seed and will host the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, marking the 27th time the program has hosted a regional. The Wildcats (45-11) will open the tournament against Santa Clara, followed by a matchup between Grand Canyon and Ole Miss, with all games taking place at Hillenbrand Stadium from May 16 to May 18. Arizona boasts a dominant offense ranked eighth nationally in batting average and a strong defense ranked 18th in the NCAA, leading the Big 12 in several offensive categories and fielding percentage. Grand Canyon enters the regional as the Western Athletic Conference champion, making its fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance but first outside the Los Angeles Regional, while Ole Miss and Santa Clara complete the four-team field. The tournament format includes winners and losers brackets culminating in a regional final on Sunday, with an if-necessary seventh game to follow. Head coach Caitlin Lowe, in her fourth year, has led Arizona to three NCAA tournaments, including a Women's College World Series appearance, continuing the program's tradition of postseason success.