Alabama softball was announced as the No. 1 overall national seed for the 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament during the selection show on May 10, securing its 27th consecutive appearance in the tournament and its 21st straight season as a top-16 national seed.
The Crimson Tide will host Southeastern Louisiana, Belmont, and USC Upstate at the Tuscaloosa Regional starting Friday, May 15 at Rhoads Stadium. Alabama is scheduled to open against USC Upstate at noon Central Time on SEC Network, followed by Southeastern Louisiana facing Belmont at 2:30 p.m.
Alabama has qualified for the NCAA Tournament every year since Patrick Murphy’s first season as head coach in 1999. The team has also earned a top-16 national seed each year since the current postseason format began in 2005.
Head Coach Patrick Murphy said, “I never take it for granted. [Former Alabama gymnastics coach] Sarah Patterson told me that whenever you see Alabama show up on that screen, you are filled with gratitude. This is 27 in a row, and this feels just as good as the first one. When we beat Florida State twice in Tallahassee way back in week three, I think it gave everyone a jolt of confidence. We’ve just continued it throughout the season. The competition is what has driven this team.”
This marks only the second time Alabama has been named a No.1 overall seed; it previously achieved this status in 2010. The Crimson Tide holds a record of 74-12 (.860) in NCAA Regional play and an even stronger record of 67-6 (.918) when playing regionals at Rhoads Stadium.
Under the current postseason format adopted in 2005, Alabama has won all but one of its home regional rounds—19 out of 20—including going undefeated during regionals on seventeen occasions.
