The Virginia softball team was selected on May 10 for its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and will compete in the Knoxville Regional, according to an announcement during the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN2.
This marks a significant achievement for the Cavaliers, who continue to build on recent successes. Earning a spot in the tournament field of 64 highlights the team’s strong season performance and offers another opportunity to advance further in postseason play.
Virginia, ranked No. 23 with a record of 38-13, will face Indiana (42-14) in their opening game. The Cavaliers are seeded second in the regional quadrant hosted by Tennessee, which holds the overall No. 7 seed. The winner of this regional will move forward to meet the champion from the Athens Regional hosted by Georgia.
The Knoxville Regional schedule begins Friday, May 15 with Tennessee playing Northern Kentucky at 5:30 p.m., followed by Virginia versus Indiana at 8 p.m., both games airing on SEC Network and ESPN2 respectively. Additional games are scheduled through Sunday, May 17 as teams vie for advancement.
This is Virginia’s fourth overall NCAA Tournament selection after previous appearances in 2010, 2024, and 2025. Last season, Virginia competed in Knoxville and reached the Regional Championship game before being eliminated by Tennessee. The Cavaliers achieved their highest regular-season win total since 2004 with thirty-seven victories and reached thirty-eight wins for a second consecutive year following their ACC Tournament first-round victory over Pitt. Three players received All-ACC honors: Macee Eaton (first team), Bella Cabral (third team), and Julia Cuozzo (third team).
Head coach Joanna Hardin said: “We’re so grateful to have the opportunity to compete this weekend. We don’t take for granted how difficult it is to be in this field of 64 and the job the selection committee has to do. I’m grateful our body of work and season was recognized. We’re comfortable in Knoxville and have played there a lot in recent years (for NCAA Tournament and early season tournaments). We’re comfortable with the field and facilities. We’re grateful our student-athletes get to go there and showcase their skills and extend their season. We’re thankful we get to play another weekend together and we’re going to do everything we can to extend our season and stay together as long as possible.”
Looking ahead, Virginia aims to capitalize on its experience at Knoxville as it seeks continued success during this year’s tournament.
