LOS ANGELES – The South Carolina softball team makes its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament Friday (May 15) when the Gamecocks take on Cal State Fullerton at 7:30 p.m. ET in the Los Angeles Regional. Carolina is the No. 7 seed in their quadrant with No. 2 seed UCLA and Cal Baptist also in its regional.
#7 South Carolina Gamecocks 30-26, 7-17 SEC
Coach: Ashley Woodard | 2nd Season
AVG Leader: .357 | Karley Shelton
RBI Leader: 45 | Tori Ensley
Home Run Leader: 13 | Tori Ensley
ERA Leader: 1.95 | Jori Heard
Strikeout Leader: 124 | Jori Heard
Wins Leader: 11 | Jori Heard
#2 UCLA Bruins 47-8, 20-4 Big Ten
Coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez | 20th Season
Series History: UCLA leads 15-2
Trend: UCLA won 3
Last Meeting: UCLA 5, South Carolina 4 | Feb. 21, 2026 | Cathedral City, Calif.
Cal State Fullerton Titans 40-13, 24-3 Big West
Coach: Gina Oaks Garcia | 2nd Season
Series History: Cal State Fullerton leads 5-0
Trend: Cal State Fullerton won 5
Last Meeting: Fullerton 6, South Carolina 1 | Feb. 15, 2003 | Las Vegas, Nev.
Cal Baptist Lancers 43-17, 15-3 WAC
Coach: Brandon Telesco | 1st Season
Series History: First Meeting
LEADING OFF
- The 2026 season is the 53rd season for the Carolina Softball team.
- They finished the season 25th in the RPI with an overall strength of schedule of 3, trailing Arkansas and Ole Miss.
- Carolina is tied with Texas for the most top-25 RPI games than any other Division I program (30). The next closest is 28 by Texas A&M.
- The schedule also featured seven of the top-9 RPI teams and four of the top-5, the most of any program, Missouri and Auburn are just behind with six of the top-9.
- Georgia is the only other program to face four of the top-5 RPI programs.
- Carolina has played 13 of the top-22 RPI teams and 15 of the top-30.
- Based on current opponent winning percentage, the Gamecocks have the second toughest schedule in the nation. Opponents have a combined winning percentage of .650. (Arkansas, .664)
- This is South Carolina’s 26th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
- All-time, Carolina is 54-54 in the NCAA Tournament.
- They are 15-10 all-time in opening games of the regional.
- The Gamecocks have made four straight appearances and 11 of the last 13.
- Last season Carolina advance to Super Regionals for the first time since 2018.
- South Carolina has played in three NCAA Women’s College World Series (1983, 1989, and 1997).
- They also played in six AIAW World Series between 1974 and 1981, before the NCAA adopted softball as a sport in 1982.
- Additionally, the Gamecocks appeared in several AIAW World Series as a club program prior to becoming a sponsored sport in 1974.
- The Gamecocks have face UCLA eight times in the NCAA Tournament (2-6).
- They have played the Titans once, at the 1983 WCWS (L, 2-0).
- Carolina is 2-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament games in California (1989 and 1999).
- Last season the Gamecocks swept the Columbia Regional, defeated Elon in the opening round and North Florida twice, including a walk-off run-rule victory in five innings in the finals (8-0).
- Carolina won the opening game of the Super Regional against UCLA 9-2, before dropping games two and three.
- The Gamecocks led 4-1 in the bottom of the 7th and were one strike away from advancing to the World Series in game two, leading 4-3 with two outs.
- This is Carolina – tradition lives here
- South Carolina has made 25 trips to the NCAA postseason, a number that started in 1982. The Gamecocks have reached three super regionals and three WCWS. In conference play, Carolina owns two SEC Championships.
- The Gamecocks also made five AIAW College World Series appearances prior to the NCAA sanctioning softball as a sponsored sport in 1982.
- They have made the tournament 10 of the last 12 seasons.
- Carolina in the postseason season holds a 54-54 record all-time.
- Fans and opponents have become accustomed to seeing the Gamecocks play on Sunday in the postseason. Carolina reached the regional final four-straight years (2016-19) and again in the last three seasons (2023-25). The Gamecocks are 4-5 in those past eight Sunday games.
- Since 1982, the Gamecocks are 3-14 against host schools. On the flip side, South Carolina is 22-13 at home in the postseason.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC
- South Carolina is 324-86 (.790) over the past nine years in games outside the SEC.
- Notable wins include Clemson, Duke, Texas Tech, Boston U, Utah, Texas, Penn State, Houston, Arizona State, North Carolina, Florida State, California, Virginia Tech, USF, Long Beach State, Hofstra, Liberty, and UCF.
- Carolina will play 28 non-conference games in 2026, 21 of which will be played at Carolina Softball Stadium.
GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
- South Carolina is 195-437-1 (.309) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
- Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 94-162 (.367) at home, 51-198 (.205) on the road and 50-77-1 (.395) in neutral-site outings.
- In 2025 the Gamecocks were 16-14 against ranked opponents.
- In 2024, the Gamecocks went 9-20 against ranked opponents.
SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD
- South Carolina has played 2,754 games in its softball history, going 1,768-979-7 (.644) in its 53 years of history.
- Carolina has posted 30 or more wins in 11 of the past 13 full seasons.
- Carolina has protected home well, also, with 17 or more victories coming in friendly confines each of the past 12 full years.
For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.
