2025 NCAA Division I softball season

2025 NCAA Division I softball season
Duration	February 7 – June 6, 2025
Number of teams	309
Defending Champions	Oklahoma
TV partner/s	ESPN & ESPN+
NCAA Tournament
Women's College World Series
Seasons

The 2025 NCAA Division I softball season, play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, begins in February 2025. The season will progress through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and will conclude with the 2025 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 2025 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament will be held annually in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at Devon Park, will end in June 2025.

Realignment

Further information: 2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment

Two schools transitioned from NCAA Division II to Division I after the 2024 season.[1]

• Mercyhurst joined the NEC.[2]
• West Georgia joined the ASUN.[3]

A total of 14 softball-sponsoring schools changed conferences after the 2024 season.

• Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah joined the Big 12 Conference.[4]
• California and Stanford joined the Atlantic Coast Conference.[5]
• Oklahoma and Texas joined the Southeastern Conference.[6]
• Oregon, UCLA, and Washington joined the Big Ten Conference.[7][8]
• Kennesaw State joined Conference USA.[9]
• Merrimack and Sacred Heart joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.[10]
• Stephen F. Austin joined the Southland Conference.[11]

The 2025 season will be the last for four Division I softball schools in their current conferences.

• Delaware and Missouri State will join Conference USA.[12][13]
• UMass will join the Mid-American Conference.[14]
• Seattle will join the West Coast Conference.[15]

References

1. "Year in Preview: 2025". d1softball.com. January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
2. "Welcome To The Lake Show: Mercyhurst University Accepts Northeast Conference Membership Invite" (Press release). Northeast Conference. April 4, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
3. "Atlantic Sun Conference Welcomes the University of West Georgia as Its Newest Member" (Press release). ASUN Conference. August 9, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
4. "Big 12 Conference Adds Arizona, Arizona State and Utah" (Press release). Big 12 Conference. August 4, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
5. "The Atlantic Coast Conference Welcomes the University of California, Berkeley, Southern Methodist University and Stanford University as New Members" (Press release). Atlantic Coast Conference. September 1, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
6. "Big 12 Announces Agreement for Withdrawal of Oklahoma and Texas". big12sports.com (Press release). Big 12 Conference. February 9, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
7. "Big Ten Conference Statement" (Press release). Big Ten Conference. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
8. "University of Oregon and University of Washington to Join Big Ten Conference in 2024" (Press release). Big Ten Conference. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
9. "C-USA Adds Kennesaw State, Owls to Join in 2024" (Press release). Conference USA. October 14, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
10. "MAAC Welcomes Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University as Newest Full Members" (Press release). Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. October 23, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
11. "SFA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join Southland Conference in 2024-25" (Press release). Southland Conference. May 29, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
12. "CUSA Adds Delaware, Blue Hens to Join in 2025". Conference USA. November 28, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
13. "CUSA Adds Missouri State, Bears to Join in 2025". Conference USA. May 10, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
14. "University of Massachusetts Accepts Invitation to Join the Mid-American Conference As Full Member". umass.edu. February 29, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
15. "Seattle U joining West Coast Conference, will leave WAC behind". The Seattle Times. May 10, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.