2026 Division I Softball Championship Bracket
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Fresh off its first CUSA Softball Championship crown, Jacksonville State was selected to the Tallahassee Regional of the 2026 Division I Softball Tournament. The Gamecocks (45-14) will open the regional against UCF (38-16-1) at 1:30 p.m. CT Friday on ESPN+.  
 
Making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018, Jax State looks to channel some of its rich history, which includes regional final appearances in 2006, 2016 and 2018. The Gamecocks’ 2018 regional final run also took place in Tallahassee. The regional field also includes host and No. 9 national seed Florida State (49-8) and Stetson (36-20).
 
Jax State entered the CUSA Softball Championship as the No. 1 seed following a 24-3 campaign in conference play. After falling to No. 3 Liberty in the semifinals, the Gamecocks avenged the loss with a 7-4 comeback victory over the Lady Flames in the final on Saturday.
 
Designated player Amber Reed tallied a pair of RBI, including a game-tying sac fly as part of a four-run fourth and a run-scoring double in the home half of the sixth that served as the game-winning run. Outfielder Kailey Martin put the nail in the coffin with a two-run shot on the ensuing at-bat.
 
Pitcher MacKinley Portillo (9-6 earned the win after controlling the Liberty lineup in 4.2 innings of relief, allowing just one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. With the title game on the line, she retired the final six batters of the game to secure the victory.
 
Reed and Portillo were joined on the CUSA Softball Championship All-Tournament Team by infielder Jaci Underwood, outfielder Haleigh Cushingberry and Morgan Nowakowski, the championship’s Most Valuable Player. Nowakowski hit .636 (7-11) with eight RBI, which is tied for the second most in a tournament in CUSA Softball Championship history.