With the conclusion of Week 7, the 2026 NCAA Softball regular season has officially reached its halfway point. The Mountain West Conference is just as chaotic now as it has been for most of the season, with all but two of the conference’s 10 teams being within two games of each other. Let’s take a look at how things stand entering the back half of the season.
1. #17/23 GCU Lopes (33-2, 6-0 MW)
Last Week: #1
NCAA RPI: #29
This Week’s Games:
at Utah State (14-17) – Mar. 27, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Utah State (14-17) – Mar.
28, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Utah State (14-17) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Yes, GCU’s win streak to begin the season was beyond impressive, but their at-large resume has started to be called into question. The Lopes went 3-2 last week, falling to the first two elite teams they faced this season: #21 Oklahoma State and #13 Arizona. GCU is winless against teams in the top 50 of NCAA RPI rankings, and they look to only have four more chances to get such a win this season, none of which are in the next week. For now, they will turn back to the task of making a mockery of their new conference.
The Lopes now rank second in the conference in batting average (.330), while continuing to lead the conference in OPS (.975), RBIs (212), and home runs (44). Raegan Holtorf leads the team in batting average (.384), while Jada Cooper is the leader in OPS (1.250), home runs (nine), and RBIs (35). Alina Satcher does not meet at-bat requirements, but is the overall leader in OPS (1.379).
As for the circle, the Lopes continue to occupy the undisputed lead in the circle, ranking fifth in the country with an ERA of 1.86. All five Lope pitchers that have more than 30.0 innings of work have an ERA of 2.18 or lower, Oakley Vickers being the best with an ERA of 1.67 and a conference-runnerup mark of 72 strikeouts. This is one of the deepest lineups in the country, and is one that will continue to carry them through conference play.
GCU heads to Logan, Utah this week to take on the Aggies for their third conference series. After playing the two worst teams in the league back to back, they now have to travel to a Utah State team with a lethal hitting core, along with one of the worst pitching staffs in the country. The Aggies stole one off the contending Wolf Pack last week, so they are not to be taken lightly, despite their awful pitching. The only option for the Lopes here is a sweep. Anything else would be a bitter disappointment.
2. Nevada Wolf Pack (22-11, 4-2 MW)
Last Week: #2
NCAA RPI: #49
This Week’s Games:
vs. San Jose State (10-19) – Mar. 27, 5:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Jose State (10-19) – Mar. 28, 3:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Jose State (10-19) – Mar. 29, 12:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
Nevada went 3-1 last week, winning their series against Utah State before run-ruling Utah Valley to close out the week. The Wolf Pack are actually far closer to GCU in these rankings than they are to the rest of the pack, as Nevada’s tournament resume stacks up quite well with that of the Lopes. As the days tick down, we get closer and closer to a clash of the titans, one where the leader of the conference will truly be decided.
Nevada has the best offense in the MWC, leading the conference in batting average (.338), and ranking second in OPS (.959), home runs (39), and RBIs (187). Madison Clark leads the conference with a batting average of .496, a mark good enough to rank 20th in the country. Hannah Di Genova and Katie Wetteland both have an average of .465, the former leading the conference in OPS (1.510), home runs (13), and RBIs (44). Di Genova is coming off of an all-time great week, recording a batting average of .917, an OPS of 2.198, and 14 RBIs across the Pack’s four games in Utah, easily winning Player of the Week, not just from the MW, but also from Softball America and D1Softball (mid-major). These three players rank first, second, and third in the MW in batting average.
As for Nevada’s pitching staff, the Wolf Pack’s arms struggled in Logan, giving up at least six runs in every game. The Pack now sit tied for third in the conference in ERA with a mark of 3.50, ranking second in strikeouts with 160. As always, Tess Bumiller leads the team with an ERA of 2.26, while the struggling, yet still lethal Hailey McLean leads the team in strikeouts (57, fifth in MW). The Pack’s pitching core is much weaker than I expected it to be at the start of the year, yet still capable of competing with elite teams when given the chance.
Nevada hosts San Jose State this weekend for their second of just four conference home series. This will also mark the halfway point of the Wolf Pack’s home season just six games in, a problem that needs to be fixed next season, it goes without saying. In this home series against the worst team in the conference, anything less than a sweep is unacceptable for a team of Nevada’s caliber.
3. Boise State Broncos (17-18, 3-3 MW)
Last Week: #4
NCAA RPI: #76
This Week’s Games:
at Colorado State (15-16) – Mar. 27, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Colorado State (15-16) – Mar. 28, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Colorado State (15-16) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Boise State had a fantastic Week 7, tallying the most wins out of any MW team. The Broncos swept Sacramento State in a doubleheader, then took two out of three against a Fresno State team they rarely defeat. With the momentum the Broncos have right now, I thought it would be ridiculous to not move them up in the rankings, despite having a much worse overall record than the Aztecs.
The Broncos’ offense continues to stuggle on the whole, ranking eighth in the conference in batting average (.266), ranking seventh in OPS (.763), but also sitting fourth in RBIs (137) and fifth in extra-base hits (75). This is largely due to Boise State striking out a whopping 183 times—the fourth-most in the country. The Broncos are led in most offensive categories by Marissa Gonzalez, who leads the team in average (.337) and OPS (.984). Skylar Stroh leads the team with 30 RBIs, while Mya Flindt still leads the team in home runs with seven.
Boise State’s pitching is where they are shining right now. While they do still rank just seventh in the conference in ERA (4.33), and have given up the most walks in the MW (122), they did allow an ERA of just 2.80 in five games last week, a tally heavily skewed by Fresno State’s seven runs in the lone Bronco loss of the week. The great performances were all led by Pitcher and Freshman of the Week, Loula-Rae McNamara, who recorded an ERA of 0.57 and eight strikeouts over 12.1 innings pitched, earning both Fresno State wins and recording saves in both wins over Sac State. McNamara leads the team with a total ERA of 2.91 this season.
Boise State heads to Fort Collins this weekend for a duel with the Rams, who just took two of three at home against New Mexico. This is a winnable series for the Broncos, so long as the pitching staff can contain what offense the Rams can provide.
4. San Diego State Aztecs (18-13, 3-3 MW)
Last Week: #4
NCAA RPI: #72
This Week’s Games:
at New Mexico (13-18) – Mar. 27, 5:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at New Mexico (13-18) – Mar. 28, 1:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at New Mexico (13-18) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
San Diego State was upset on the road at UNLV this week, and have now gone 10-11 since starting the season 8-2. The Aztecs now rank outside the top 70 in RPI, meaning that it is all but impossible for them to make the NCAA Tournament without winning the conference. I’ve given SDSU more than enough time to improve their performance, and now it’s time to start dropping them in the rankings.
SDSU’s offense still ranks third in the conference in batting average (.326), ranking fourth in OPS (.851) and fifth in RBIs (136). Jade Ignacio leads the team in average (.437), OPS (1.114), and RBIs (29), only trailing Jazmin Williams in home runs (eight).
The Aztecs currently rank fifth in the conference in ERA (3.90) after giving up an ERA of 5.67 against the Rebels. Faith Jordan is the team leader in ERA (2.65) and strikeouts (50), while projected ace Key-annah Pu’a continues to struggle as the season goes on, surrendering an ERA of an abysmal 14.55 against UNLV.
SDSU travels to Albequerque this weekend to take on the Lobos, who are 1-5 in conference after playing GCU and CSU. The Lobos are the worst-hitting team in the conference, but at this point, I would not be surprised to see the Aztecs’ staff struggle against a team with little hitting prowess. Now that I have finally moved them down, I await the inevitable bounceback in the weeks ahead.
5. Colorado State Rams (15-16, 3-3 MW)
Last Week: #5
NCAA RPI: #178
This Week’s Games:
vs. Boise State (17-18) – Mar. 27, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Boise State (17-18) – Mar. 28, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Boise State (17-18) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Colorado State went 2-2 last week, falling in an offensive slugfest versus Saint Mary’s before winning two of three against the Lobos to rise to .500 in conference play. The Rams looked a good bit worse than they did against the Aztecs last week, especially in the pitching department, so I didn’t think it would be justified to put them any higher than five.
CSU now ranks fifth in the conference in batting average (.281) and sixth in OPS (.772). Madi Eslinger is the team leader in average (.383), Lauren Stucky has the highest OPS (.968), and Kyra Smith holds a commanding lead in RBIs (26) and is tied with Jailey Wilson for the most home runs (four). Notably, Wilson leads the conference in most walks drawn (23).
Meanwhile, the Rams still hold the second-best ERA in the conference (3.20), led as always by Reagan Wick’s 1.96 ERA and 56 strikeouts, ranking third and sixth in the conference, respectively. Despite giving up an ERA of 6.50 this week, the Rams still have one of the scariest pitching staffs in the conference, if for no other reason than how elite Wick has been despite her massive workload (93.0 innings, most in the MW).
The Rams host fellow Pac-12 defector Boise State this weekend, in what should be a well-matched series. The Broncos rank slightly worse than the Rams in most stat categories, but most of that is due to the gauntlet of a schedule they have had to face this season. By and large, the Broncos have the same strengths and weaknesses as the Rams. I could see this series going either way, but no matter what, this series will be hugely important in determining who goes to the MW Tournament in May.
6. UNLV Lady Rebels (16-16, 3-3 MW)
Last Week: #7
NCAA RPI: #148
This Week’s Games:
at Fresno State (13-13) – Mar. 27, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at Fresno State (13-13) – Mar. 28, 2:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at Fresno State (13-13) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
UNLV scored a series upset this week, taking two of three against so-called conference contender San Diego State. While the Aztecs have continued to look more and more fraudulent as the season has progressed, that fact does not take away from what a massive win this is for the Rebels.
The Rebels still rank comfortably as the “best of the rest” offensively, ranking fourth in the conference in batting average (.305), third in OPS (.905), and third in RBIs (160). Keyannah Chavez is the team’s leader in average (.404), Diamond Sefe is the leader in OPS (1.172), and Charelle Aki leads the Rebels in home runs (eight) and RBIs (33).
In terms of pitching, things continue to be a bit of a struggle for the Rebs, who currently rank eighth in the conference with an ERA of 4.67. Lauren Fettic continues to lead with an ERA of 3.90 and 41 strikeouts on the year, leading the way while Emma Wardlaw and Yanina Sherwood have continued to struggle for the vast majority of the season.
UNLV travels to Fresno for a bout with the Bulldogs this weekend, seeking their first series win against the ‘Dogs since 2023. The Bulldogs have looked incredibly sloppy in their first season under Charlotte Morgan, and have yet to win a conference series this season, whether at home or away. This will be a good test for the Rebels, but it’s one I have no doubt in their ability to pass. Maybe this is the week the Rebels finally turn their comments back on.
7. Utah State Aggies (14-17, 3-3 MW)
Last Week: #8
NCAA RPI: #117
This Week’s Games:
vs. #17/23 Grand Canyon (33-2) – Mar. 27, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #17/23 Grand Canyon (33-2) – Mar. 28, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #17/23 Grand Canyon (33-2) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
I initially had Fresno State above Utah State when drafting this article, forgetting the very blatant reason why that is complete nonsense. Nonetheless, with USU managing to snag a win off of the top-tier Wolf Pack, there was no reason to keep them below the Bulldogs either way.
Utah State went .292 at the plate against the Wolf Pack, raising their team average on the season to .275, now ranking sixth in the MW, also being fifth in the conference in OPS (.778). Alex Bunton continues to lead the team in all offensive stats among qualified starters, but the ascendant Kaylee Erickson has surpassed everyone on the team, leading in average (.405), OPS (1.513) and home runs (six), all in just 42 at-bats this season. The senior slugger continues to make former coach Todd Judge look insanely stupid for leaving her on the bench for the first half of the season. As for the Aggies’ pitching staff, the less said, the better. Utah State ranks a distant last in the conference in ERA (6.47), failing to have one pitcher with an ERA below 5.00.
Utah State will host their second conference contender in a row this weekend, this time being the dominant GCU Lopes. I don’t expect Utah State’s pitching staff to come close to holding the Lopes’ offense back, and I would be absolutely stunned to see the Aggies, of all teams, to hand Grand Canyon their first MW conference loss.
8. Fresno State Bulldogs (13-13, 2-4 MW)
Last Week: #6
NCAA RPI: #98
This Week’s Games:
vs. UNLV (16-16) – Mar. 27, 6:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. UNLV (16-16) – Mar. 28, 2:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. UNLV (16-16) – Mar. 29, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
Fresno State continued to struggle in their road conference opener, losing two of three to Boise State in close matches, taking the third game in an emphatic blowout. However, that does little to change the fact that Fresno State has now lost six of their last nine, tumbling in the conference standings every week. The Bulldogs are in freefall, but they will have a chance to change their fortunes this weekend.
The Bulldogs’ struggles at the plate continue, now ranking ninth in the conference in batting average (.265) and OPS (.724). Jamie Hicks leads the team in most categories: average (.368), OPS (1.008), home runs (four), and RBIs (18), though none of these numbers are impressive.
For those kinds of stats, one must look to Fresno State’s pitching, which now ranks in a tie for third in the conference in ERA (3.50). Most of this is down to the work of Lauryn Carranco, whose 90.0 innings of work have returned an ERA of 2.57 and 65 strikeouts, both of which rank in the top six in the MW. Whenever the Bulldogs are able to score, they are usually able to win. The problem is that they have not found any sort of rhythm in that department, so on goes the cold streak.
The Bulldogs host UNLV this weekend for their second home conference series. The Rebels are just 3-5 on the road this season, so Fresno State will have an opportunity to score some wins here, so long as Carranco continues to perform like she has been. I would expect at least two wins for the Bulldogs here, but then again, that’s what I said about the Utah State series, too.
9. New Mexico Lobos (13-18, 1-5 MW)
Last Week: #7
NCAA RPI: #141
This Week’s Games:
vs. San Diego State (18-13) – Mar. 27, 6:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Diego State (18-13) – Mar. 28, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Diego State (18-13) – Mar. 29, 1:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
New Mexico went 1-2 last week, finally scoring their first conference win by winning a shootout with the Rams in the series’ final game. This team is infuriating to watch, because you can see glimpses of how much scoring talent they have, but that fantastic play just never stays around for long.
The Lobos are last in the conference in average (.258), eighth in OPS (.742), and seventh in RBIs (114). Gabrielle Briones leads the Lobos in average (.350), but Miracle McKenzie is still this team’s best hitter, leading UNM in OPS (1.244), home runs (11), and RBIs (26). McKenzie may be inconsistent at times, but when she gets hot, the Lobos are rarely able to lose.mA lot of the credit for that fact goes to the Lobos’ surprisingly stingy pitching this season.
UNM is sixth in the MW in ERA (3.95), but rank all the way up in fourth in strikeouts (154). Credit for that success goes to freshman star Caitlin Benningfield, who leads the team in ERA (2.76) and leads the entire Mountain West Conference in strikeouts (74). McKenna Guest has made for an overqualified backup arm, following Benningfield with a mark of 3.68. Most success the Lobos have had this season has come from a brilliant outing from one or both of these two, though I suppose that should be expected from a team that lost their last two games to a top-15 Mississippi State by a combined 5-0.
The Lobos will host San Diego State this weekend, looking for their first series win versus SDSU in nearly a decade. Given how the Aztecs’ previous series against another stingy-pitching team (Colorado State) ended in a combined score of 4-3, New Mexico has a better chance to win this series that most would give them credit for.
10. San Jose State Spartans (10-19, 2-4 MW)
Last Week: #10
NCAA RPI: #147
This Week’s Games:
at Nevada (22-11) – Mar. 27, 5:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at Nevada (22-11) – Mar. 28, 3:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at Nevada (22-11) – Mar. 29, 12:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
Finally, we reach the basement of the conference, where San Jose State has been forced by a brutal stretch of games to open conference play. While it’s clear the Spartans are the worst team in the conference regardless, there is no denying just how bad of a hand SJSU has been dealt with their conference slate this season.
San Jose State ranks seventh in the conference in batting average (.271), but is all the way down in last the MW in OPS (.712). Reina Zermeno is the team’s leader in most categories, ranking at the top in average (.376), OPS (1.115), home runs (five) and RBIs (17). Meanwhile, the Spartans have the ninth-best ERA in the conference (4.84), led by Delaney Faus’ 3.94 ERA and 35 strikeouts. The Spartans are not as bad as most would think they are, but they simply cannot score at all, only recording 92 RBIs so far this season, only ranking above Fresno State’s total of 88 (the Bulldogs have played three fewer games).
The Spartans, a week after being forced to go to Phoenix to take on first-place GCU, now have to travel to Reno to take on second-place Nevada. The Wolf Pack are coming off of a week where they scored 39 runs in four games, so SJSU’s suspect pitching may not stand a chance here. Who knows, though? The Spartans kept things admirably close against GCU, so maybe that can translate into at least one shock victory here.
