Any lingering disappointment from Alabama softball's 7-1 loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament championship game on Saturday dissipated on Selection Sunday when Patrick Murphy's club was chosen as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
With Oklahoma's loss in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, it felt like Alabama had a good chance to snag the No. 1 overall seed on the heels of dominant tournament wins over Top 10 opponents in Arkansas and Florida in back-to-back days.
But Texas made its own pitch for the top spot with its dominant win over Alabama in Saturday's title game. But that wasn't enough to overpower Alabama's resume, and the Crimson Tide earned a series win over the Longhorns during the regular season that they could hang their hats on.
Alabama is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Softball Tournament
The Regionals get started this weekend, and Alabama will be joined in Tuscaloosa by Southeastern Louisiana, USC Upstate, and Belmont. The biggest competition for the Crimson Tide in its Regional might actually be Belmont because of ace Maya Johnson, who reeled off a 27-2 record with a dominant 0.66 ERA.
Alabama will open the Regional against USC Upstate.
Your #1 overall seed Alabama Crimson Tide will see you this weekend at Rhoads Stadium!#Team30 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/XE3s0hHgtO
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) May 10, 2026
Led by Jocelyn Briski and Vic Moten, Alabama's rotation figures to be too much for anyone in the Tuscaloosa Regional, so long as the bats don't go completely quiet.
The Tuscaloosa Regional is paired with the Baton Rouge Regional, which features LSU, Virginia Tech, South Alabama, and Akron. The winner of the Super Regional would advance to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series.
Alabama didn't face LSU during the regular season. The Tigers went 37-17 overall and 13-11 in the SEC.
Alabama did face South Alabama in the regular season, knocking off the Jaguars 8-0 in a run-rule shortened game.
Patrick Murphy will be looking to lead Alabama to its 16th WCWS appearance. Before missing it last year, the Tide had made two in a row.
Murphy led the Crimson Tide to the 2012 National Championship, and this team might represent his best opportunity to grab a second title in his storied career.
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