South Carolina softball hosting NCAA regional. Here’s a look at the competition
South Carolina softball is hosting an NCAA Tournament regional for the first time since 2018 starting this weekend.
The Gamecocks are the No. 8 national seed in the 2025 tournament and will welcome Virginia, North Florida and Elon to the friendly confines of Carolina Softball Stadium. Virginia is the No. 2 seed in the regional, North Florida is the No. 3 seed and Elon is No. 4.
South Carolina will play Elon on Friday afternoon to open the NCAA Tournament. Since the Gamecocks are a top-eight seed, they’ll have the opportunity to host a super regional if they advance through the regional this weekend.
Columbia Regional softball schedule
All games played at Carolina Softball Stadium. TV or streaming details listed where available. Full bracket can be seen here.
- Game 1: Virginia vs North Florida (Friday at 3 p.m., streaming on ESPN+)
- Game 2: Elon vs South Carolina (Friday at 5:30 p.m., streaming on ESPN+)
- Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2 (Saturday at 1 p.m.)
- Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs Loser of Game 2 (Saturday at 3:30 p.m.)
- Game 5: Winner of Game 4 vs Loser of Game 3 (Saturday 6 p.m.)
- Region final: Winner of Game 3 vs Winner of Game 5 (Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2)*
*if necessary, second game of regional final will be played Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
Get to know South Carolina
Record: 40-15, 12-11 SEC
Resume: No. 8 in adjusted RPI, 17-14 vs teams in RPI Top 25, 25-15 vs teams in RPI Top 100, No. 4 in strength of schedule, No. 12 in nonconference strength of schedule.
Top players: Pitcher Sam Gress was the lone Gamecock to earn All-SEC honors. She was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the All-Defensive Team and has posted a 3.12 ERA and 12-9 record. ... Arianna Rodi is one of the better power hitters in the SEC. She boasts a .739 slugging percentage and set a new single-season program record for home runs (16). ... Other to watch are utility player Quincee Lilio (.373 batting average), infielder Karley Shelton (.354 batting average) and pitcher Jori Heard (16-3, 2.71 ERA).
How they got here: South Carolina was picked to finish last in the SEC preseason poll but finished No. 7 in the league after recording its second winning record in league play in the last 22 years. The Gamecocks started 20-0 this season, tying the program record for best start, and Ashley Chastain Woodard set a new program record for wins in a coach’s first year. USC was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament by eventual co-champion Texas A&M. The Gamecocks, who will have home field advantage through the super regional round, sport an impressive 31-5 record in games played at Carolina Softball Stadium.
Get to know Elon
Record: 33-19, 25-7 CAA
Resume: The 2025 Coastal Athletic Association champions, No. 94 in adjusted RPI, 2-10 vs RPI Top 100 teams, No. 131 in strength of schedule, No. 45 nonconference strength of schedule.
Top players: Kaitlyn Wells was named to the All-CAA First Team after leading the Phoenix with a .417 batting average. She was also the most outstanding player of the CAA Tournament. ... Second baseman Greta Hessenthaler (.355 batting average) joined Wells on the All-CAA First Team. ... Pitcher McKenna McCard (13-4, 1.98 ERA) was named to the All-CAA Second Team and utility player Kayla Wilson (.333 batting average) earned an All-CAA Rookie Team nod.
How they got here: The Phoenix are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Elon punched its ticket to the post season after winning the CAA Championship. It’s the first league title for the program since 2010. Elon won the CAA Tournament out of the losers bracket. The Phoenix beat No. 1 Delaware and then beat No. 4 seed Campbell twice in the championship to clinch the title.
Get to know Virginia
Record: 37-17, 14-10 ACC
Resume: No. 27 in adjusted RPI, 4-11 vs teams in RPI Top 25, 19-17 vs teams in RPI Top 100, No. 26 in strength of schedule, No. 62 in nonconference strength of schedule.
Top players: Three Cavaliers earned All-ACC honors this season. Pitcher Eden Bigham (17-9, 2.38 ERA) and infielder Jade Hylton (.365 batting average) were both named to the All-ACC First Team. Infielder Macee Eaton (.340 batting average) earned an All-ACC Second Team nod.
How they got here: The Cavaliers finished No. 7 in the ACC and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament by Clemson. This will be the second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Virginia and the third in program history. If Virginia advances, they could meet South Carolina on Saturday in a rematch from earlier this season. (USC opened against UVa. and won both games, the first 7-6 and the second 5-4 in extra innings.)
South Carolina head coach Chastain Woodard said that matchup “feels like a year ago” but that the familiarity could still help since Gamecocks have plenty of information on Virginia.
“I think a lot has happened since then. We’ve definitely grown. They’ve grown,” South Carolina pitcher Sam Gress said. “They had a great season in the ACC. I think we’ve just got a sharp, clean slate right there. It’s a different season, different chapter, but it’s nice to play somebody that you’ve played before.”
Get to know North Florida
Record: 45-13 (22-2 ASUN)
Resume: The 2025 Atlantic Sun Champions, No. 44 in adjusted RPI, 12-10 vs Top 100 teams, No. 102 in strength of schedule, No. 41 in nonconference strength of schedule.
Top players: Two-way star Allison Benning was named the ASUN’s Preseason Player of the Year and has lived up to the expectations. The senior is one home run shy of becoming the second player in D-I history to earn 20 wins as a pitcher and also hit 20 home runs in a single season. Benning leads North Florida with a .409 batting average and is No. 2 on the team with a 1.51 ERA. ... Other players to watch are catcher Kirsten Caravaca (.355 batting average) and outfielder Grace Shaw-Rockey (.346 batting average).
How they got here: North Florida clinched an automatic qualifier bid after beating Eastern Kentucky in the ASUN Tournament Championship. This is the first ever NCAA Tournament appearance for the Ospreys.
This story was originally published May 12, 2025 at 1:46 PM.
