We are just a couple of weeks away from the DII softball championship selection show. While many of the usual suspects should hear their names called, there have been some pleasant surprises that came out of the gates hot and have yet to go away.
Let’s dive into a few teams that still have some work to do to secure their spot in the bracket, but have put together quite the resume to prove their case. Several of these teams are making program history every day, while others are looking to end long postseason droughts.
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CSU Pueblo
The ThunderWolves aren’t nationally ranked, but they are having a surprisingly good season thus far. They were projected to finish fifth in the RMAC but have a very comfortable cushion in second place in the conference, already locking up an RMAC tournament spot with eight games to go.
CSU Pueblo is currently 33-13 overall, and the ThunderWolves haven’t eclipsed the 30-win mark since 2009, which was the last time they made the DII softball championship. They are rolling of late, winning 20 of their last 22 games, momentum they will need with No. 5 Colorado Christian on the schedule to close the regular season. Senior Caitlyn Cole (pictured) is having a breakout season leading the offense, hitting .439 with 55 runs scored, 15 doubles, 12 home runs and 32 stolen bases, putting her in the top five in most RMAC categories. The ThunderWolves have arguably the best pitching in Colorado, leading the RMAC with a 2.45 ERA and batting average against (.239) while placing third with 197 strikeouts. They also have the 10th-best RPI in the South Central and are ranked 73rd in NET, so the ThunderWolves are in striking distance of their first tournament appearance in 17 years.
Florida Tech
The Panthers, like the ThunderWolves, are not ranked, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t making noise. They were projected to finish seventh in the Sunshine State Conference but are currently tied for third with tournament stalwart Tampa. Florida Tech also has the seventh-best RPI in the South Region and is ranked No. 20 in NET, which has the Panthers in the bracket right now…somewhere they haven’t been since 2019.
The Panthers are 29-13-1 with big resume-building wins over Rogers State, North Georgia and Findlay, while splitting with Angelo State earlier this year. They also lead the Sunshine State Conference in home runs, with a pair of sluggers leading the way. Emma Chisholm is hitting .441 with a 1.422 OPS and 18 home runs, third-most in DII. Miranda Schwartz, a four-year starter, is having a breakout, career year, hitting .322 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs, all of which are new highs. They have a big series against Tampa this weekend, but the Panthers are eyeing a long-awaited return trip to the tournament.
Franklin Pierce
The Ravens are by no means a worst-to-first situation; they had a nice 2025, finishing 22-19. But that 2025 season ended as most do for the Ravens: missing the DII softball championship. They entered 2026 picked to finish fourth in their own conference, but here they are, ranked No. 21 in DII softball.
The Ravens entered the national rankings on March 31 for the first time in program history and have continued a steady climb up the ladder. They are powered by a young core, headlined by a pair of NFCA player-of-the-year contenders in sophomore Delaney Duford and freshman Camryn Van Valkenburgh. Van Valkenburgh, an outfielder, is hitting .500 with a 1.295 OPS while going a perfect 19-for-19 on the basepaths. Duford, a catcher and outfielder, is hitting .421 with 10 doubles, five home runs, and 14 stolen bases. As a team, Franklin Pierce is third in stolen bases and fourth in DII in three categories: a .382 batting average, a 1.031 OPS and 7.75 runs per game. This isn’t just a team on a hot streak; the Ravens mean business.
McKendree
The Bearcats were projected to finish third in the GLVC, so their current second-place standing is not completely out of nowhere. However, McKendree stunned top 10 West Texas A&M back on Feb. 7, entered the national polls the following Monday, and has yet to fall out of the top 25.
The Bearcats are currently 34-10, four wins shy of tying their all-time single-season record. They have a big series against No. 4 UIndy this weekend that could help their status on the national level. They also look DII softball championship-bound, an accomplishment they have achieved just once in program history back in 2018. Senior Lauren Harris (pictured) is capping off a stellar four-year career with another monster season. The 2024 NFCA national player of the year is hitting .462 with a 1.335 OPS, 51 runs scored, 13 home runs, 46 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. They have not been swept in a doubleheader or lost a weekend series since Feb. 22 against Pittsburg State, so all eyes should be on the UIndy matchup Saturday.
Montevallo
The Falcons, a team that has never been to the DII softball national championship, were projected to finish seventh in the Gulf South Conference this season. Much like Franklin Pierce, this wasn’t a poor softball team a year ago — they finished with 31 wins — but they simply don’t have a lot of history as a DII softball powerhouse.
Things are changing in Alabama. The Falcons entered the national polls for the first time in program history on Feb. 17 and are now up to 20, climbing as high as 16 at one point. It is just their third 30-win season in program history, and they currently have an all-time high of 38 wins with six regular-season games to go. Becca Benton leads the charge on offense, hitting .341 with a 1.070 OPS and a team-high 12 home runs. Taylor Lloyd is coming off a 2025 where she shattered the Montevallo single-season record books… and she is going to break almost all those records this season. She is 23-4 with a program-best 1.62 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 22 complete games, while striking out a career-high 143 batters. With her in the circle, the Falcons are tough to beat in a series.
Keep an eye on
St. Cloud State hasn’t been to the tournament since 2019, despite four-straight 30-win seasons. The Huskies are currently 36-12 with the third-best RPI in the Central Region, which means as of today, they are in the bracket. Glenville State has never made the tournament and currently sits at 31-12 with the fourth-best RPI in the Atlantic. The Pioneers are very much alive in making the bracket and, in turn, program history. Rockhurst has never been to the tournament and found its way into the first regional rankings. The Hawks have a big hill to climb, but there is a chance with a successful GLVC run. Southern Wesleyan took a huge leap forward last year, improving by nine wins, but still missed out on the tournament. This year, the Warriors—who were projected to finish fifth in Conference Carolinas and lead the Southwest Division by two games — are even better, currently in the regional rankings and looking to make their first tournament ever.
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