Alabama softball was on the regional hosting bubble entering Sunday’s 2025 NCAA Tournament selection show. The Crimson Tide can breathe a sigh of relief, as it will in fact host, as the No. 15 seed in the tournament.
UA will face Jackson State Friday in Tuscaloosa to open the tournament. The regional also includes Belmont and Virginia Tech, which will play in the early game on Friday.
Alabama enters the NCAA Tournament at 37-21, 12-12 in the SEC. The Crimson Tide lost to South Carolina in the second round of the SEC Tournament after beating Auburn in the first round in Athens.
The 2025 event marks Alabama’s 26th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Last season’s Crimson Tide won its regional, then scored a super regional upset on the road to advance to the Women’s College World Series.
Jackson State punched its ticket to Tuscaloosa by winning the SWAC Tournament. The Tigers beat Florida A&M in the tournament title game to earn its bid.
JSU enters the tournament 29-23 overall, 15-9 in SWAC play. Jackson State did not face an SEC team this season.
Belmont will be making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The Bruins beat Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game on Saturday, earning the league’s automatic bid.
The Bruins are currently 40-14 on the season, 20-7 in league play.
Presumably, Alabama’s toughest competition in the Tuscaloosa regional will be Virginia Tech. The Hokies were ranked No. 14 in the nation entering the ACC Tournament, where they lost 10-9 to Clemson in the semifinals.
Virginia Tech enters the game 41-11 on the season, and 18-6 in its league. The Crimson Tide and Hokies already faced off twice this year, in February’s Easton Bama Bash.
Alabama dropped its first game to VT, but earned a measure of revenge in the second match, winning 9-1 in five innings.
Alabama and Jackson State will face off at 5 p.m. CT Friday, on ESPN+. Virginia Tech and Belmont will play at 2:30 p.m. that day, also on ESPN+.
