The Washington softball team will enter the 2026 Big Ten Tournament as the fifth seed and is set to play twelfth-seeded Minnesota in the opening round, according to a May 5 announcement. The tournament will be hosted at the University of Maryland.
This matchup marks Washington’s second appearance in the Big Ten Tournament. The Huskies are seeking their first win in this competition after falling short last year. Earlier this season, Washington swept Minnesota during a regular season series held in Seattle.
The Huskies concluded their regular season with a record of 35-17 overall and 16-8 in conference play. In their final series before the tournament, they went 1-2 against Ohio State, with Marley Teasley recording her first career home run during game two of that series. Several players have received recognition throughout the season: Giselle Alvarez and Alexis DeBoer were both ranked tenth nationally by position midseason by Softball America.
Washington has demonstrated strong performances throughout the year, including five conference sweeps and maintaining an undefeated record through March with a twenty-game winning streak. Key contributors include Sophi Mazzola, who led batting averages during key series; Alexis DeBoer, who hit her first grand slam as a sophomore; and Morgan Reimer, who was named D1 Softball National Pitcher of the Week on March 24.
As they prepare for postseason play, Washington holds notable rankings—No. 25 in USA Softball/ESPN.com polls—and boasts several players recognized on preseason watch lists or earning weekly honors within the conference. The team’s offense has been dominant this season, outscoring opponents by over one hundred fifty runs across forty-nine games.
Looking ahead to their matchup against Minnesota—a team they have defeated fourteen times out of fifteen meetings—the Huskies aim to advance past round one for their first-ever win at this stage since joining the Big Ten Conference.
