NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University Softball team (41–11, 21–5 MVC) begins NCAA Tournament play Friday in the Tuscaloosa Regional at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Bruins will face No. 8 seed Southeastern Louisiana in the opening round on Friday, May 15 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
The Tuscaloosa Regional field also includes No. 1 overall seed Alabama and USC Upstate.
This marks Belmont's second NCAA Regional appearance in program history following the Bruins' first postseason berth in 2025. During last season's regional appearance, Belmont earned its first NCAA Tournament victory with a win over Jackson State before concluding the weekend against Virginia Tech.
All games will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available on belmontbruins.com.
What's Bruin
- Belmont enters the NCAA Tournament as both the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champion and back-to-back MVC Tournament Champion. The Bruins became one of just six programs in conference history to win consecutive MVC Tournament titles without a loss, with each championship marking a first in program history.
- Belmont did not lose a conference series all season and recorded four MVC series sweeps.
- The Bruins entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in both the D1 Softball and Softball America Mid-Major Polls for five consecutive weeks.
- Belmont also received votes in the D1 Softball and NFCA Top 25 polls for five straight weeks and has appeared in mid-major polls for 13 consecutive weeks.
- Defensively, Belmont leads the MVC with a .976 fielding percentage and 1,017 putouts.
- At the plate, the Bruins are hitting .298 with 248 RBI and a .384 on-base percentage.
- In the circle, Belmont has recorded 18 shutouts this season — tied for fourth nationally — including 14 by Maya Johnson, which leads the NCAA.
- The Bruins' success is reflected in eight All-MVC selections and three major conference awards.
- Maya Johnson was named MVC Pitcher of the Year.
- Johnson enters the tournament with a 27–2 record, a 0.66 ERA, and 381 strikeouts while allowing just 19 earned runs.
- She leads the NCAA in ERA (0.66), strikeouts (381), strikeouts per seven innings (13.3), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.91).
- Johnson received an AUSL Golden Ticket and was drafted by the Oklahoma City Spark, becoming the first mid-major player in program history to earn a professional draft selection.
- She was named Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2026 Co-Female Amateur Athlete of the Year and a Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball National Player of the Year.
- Rylee Spindler earned MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
- She ranks second in the MVC with a .446 batting average.
- Three Bruins earned NFCA All-Region honors including Maya Johnson as first team, Rylee Spindler as second team, and Nicole Hughes as third team.
- Six members of the Belmont softball team were named to the 2026 MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.
- Maya Johnson was named the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.
- Belmont recorded two wins over Top 25 opponents this season, defeating No. 15 Georgia and No. 18 Mississippi State — the program's first ranked SEC wins in program history.
- The Bruins also held No. 1 Tennessee to a 1–0 decision.
- Belmont is coming off a historic 2025 campaign, finishing 41–16 overall and 20–7 in MVC play including wins over Arizona State, Maryland, and Purdue while capturing the MVC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history.
- The Bruins are led by head coach Laura Matthews, now in her sixth season at the helm.
- Belmont's staff of Laura Matthews, Emlyn Knerem, Erin Kuba, and Faith Canfield was named MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
2026 MVC Tournament Recap
- The Bruins captured their second straight MVC Tournament Championship.
- Belmont defeated No. 5 Illinois State, 4-0, in the quarterfinals before a 4-0 semifinal win over No. 3 Murray State.
- Maya Johnson earned both victories, throwing two complete-game two-hitters while recording 17 strikeouts in each game.
- Johnson's 17 strikeouts tied for the second-most in MVC Tournament history, marked the most strikeouts in a seven-inning conference tournament game since 2001, and were the most in any MVC Tournament game since 2010.
- The Bruins clinched the title with an 8-1 championship win over Murray State, defeating the Racers for the second time in the tournament.
- Belmont scored six runs in the fourth inning, beginning with a two-RBI single from freshman Tallulah Eichholz.
MVC Tournament MVP: Maya Johnson
MVC Softball All-Tournament Team:
Against the Field
VS. No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana
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Belmont is 0-1 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana. The Bruins dropped the most recent matchup, 6-5, on Feb. 17, 2018, during the SELA Lion Classic.
VS. No. 1 Alabama
- This will mark the first softball meeting between Belmont and Alabama.
- Other notable Belmont Athletics victories over Alabama include:
- Men's basketball defeated Alabama, 85-83, on Nov. 19, 2007
- Women's basketball owns three all-time victories over Alabama, including a 69-67 win on Nov. 21, 2009
VS. USC Upstate
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