With the beautifully chaotic Week 9 in the books, we look ahead to Week 10 of the 2026 season, which will undoubtedly be the most interesting of the season. Each team will play two conference opponents this week: a doubleheader today, the other being a two-game series over the weekend. With a rare opportunity to play four conference games, and with each team having just three conference series remaining this season, this week will be absolutely crucial to get right. Let’s see who has the best chance
right now of doing just that.
1. #RV/NR Nevada Wolf Pack (26-13, 8-4 MW)
Last Week: #2
NCAA RPI: #49
This Week’s Games:
at San Diego State (20-17) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at San Diego State (20-17) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. New Mexico (18-19) – Apr. 11, 3:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. New Mexico (18-19) – Apr. 12, 11:35 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Pacific (12-26) – Apr. 13, 3:05 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
At long last, the Lopes’ grip on the top spot has been lost, and there is a new #1 in the power rankings. Nevada had the best week any Mountain West team has had this season in Week 9, becoming the first team to ever defeat GCU in Mountain West Conference play, as well as the first team to beat the Lopes in a series outright. Nevada now has three ranked wins on their resume, the most they have had in a season since 2008, and are a real at-large bid contender if they can keep this level of play up long-term.
Nevada still leads the conference in average (.335), ranking second in OPS (.954). Maddie Clark’s immaculate streak, one that saw her soar to fifth in the country in batting average (.522), ended on Sunday with an awful 0-for-4 outing. However, the speedster still holds a commanding lead in the conference in average (.507). Hannah Di Genova largely had a terrible outing against the Lopes, dropping her season average from .448 to .417, but the slugger still leads the conference in OPS (1.414), home runs (16) and RBIs (51).
Nevada’s performance in the circle against the Lopes is the reason for their victory. Nevada still ranks third in the conference in ERA (3.54), ranking second in the conference in strikeouts (197). Tess Bumiller still leads the team in ERA (2.68), but Ainsley Berlingeri has now joined Bumiller in the “Under 3.00” club (2.94). Nevada’s lone weaknesses are that they have allowed both the second-most walks (140) and extra-base hits (88) in the conference. Thankfully for the Pack, these issues did not end up mattering in this series, but it is very unlikely that will remain the case in a potential tournament rematch with the Lopes.
Nevada continues their road trip with a doubleheader against the Aztecs on Wednesday, then will head back home for a three-game home stand against New Mexico and Pacific. Anything less than 4-1 is unacceptable here, but the Wolf Pack really need to go 5-0 here to keep their momentum going.
2. #20/25 GCU Lopes (37-4, 10-2 MW)
Last Week: #1
NCAA RPI: #29
This Week’s Games:
at Fresno State (17-15) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
at Fresno State (17-15) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Boise State (18-23) – Apr. 10, 7:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Boise State (18-23) – Apr. 11, 1:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. #23/RV Arizona State (29-11) – Apr. 14, 7:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
GCU had their first bad week of the entire season, losing their home series against the second-place Wolf Pack two games to one. I initially had the Lopes retaining the top spot here, but the more I thought about it, the more my mind swung in favor of the Wolf Pack’s far superior resume. If GCU could just get that one marquee win, or if Nevada simply has a bad week, the Lopes would retake the top spot in a heartbeat.
The Lopes still rank near the top of the conference in all offensive categories, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. GCU sits second in the conference in batting average (.328) and first in OPS (.993); the spike in the latter due to the Lopes scoring all but one of their 10 runs this weekend on home runs. Jada Cooper still leads the team in average (.373), OPS (1.254), and RBIs (38), tied with Trinity Martin in the latter category. Martin’s two home runs against the Wolf Pack have pushed her above Cooper into the team lead in home runs (12).
In the circle, the Lopes still rank sixth in the entire country in ERA (1.91), mostly due to still allowing the fewest walks per game in the country (1.37). Natalie Fritz (1.37 ERA, 41.0 IP) and Oakley Vickers (1.63 ERA, 73.0 IP) have distanced themselves a bit from the rest of their teammates, but the rest of the rotation are hardly slouches, with all four Lope starters ranking in the top five in the conference in ERA.
This week’s slate gives the Lopes a Wednesday doubleheader against Fresno State, a two-game series against Boise State, and their final opportunity for a great win at home against rival Arizona State. 4-0 entering the ASU game is a realistic expectation, and the Sun Devils have proven vulnerable after losing a series to Kansas this weekend, so GCU has an opportunity to move on quickly and simply get back on schedule down the stretch.
3. UNLV Lady Rebels (20-18, 7-5 MW)
Last Week: #4
NCAA RPI: #139
This Week’s Games:
at New Mexico (18-19) – Apr. 8, 11:00 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at New Mexico (18-19) – Apr. 8, 1:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Utah State (16-21) – Apr. 11, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Utah State (16-21) – Apr. 12, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
UNLV had a great week with a rough ending, handily beating Colorado State in the first two games before nearly being run-ruled by the Rams in the series’ final game. Nonetheless, the Rebels now sit alone in third place in the conference standings, comfortably inside the cutoff for the conference tournament for the time being.
UNLV currently ranks fourth in the MW in batting average (.308), jumping up to fourth in OPS (.890). Keyannah Chavez had an incredible weekend, going 7-for-9 with 3 RBIs. Natalie Turner was equally great, going a combined 7-for-11 with an RBI, and Diamond Sefe was right with her, going 5-for-8 with 4 RBIs. These three have been consistently excellent this season, ranking first through third in batting average, Chavez ranking first with a conference bronze-ranking .430. Sefe leads the team in OPS (1.160), while Charelle Aki leads the team in home runs (eight) and RBIs (36). The Rebels have always had an elite offense this season.
In the pitching realm, things have been far more problematic. UNLV ranks eighth in the conference in ERA (4.49), ranking down in ninth in strikeouts (110). Lauren Fettic leads the team with an ERA of 3.76, also leading the team with 45 strikeouts. Emma Wardlaw and Yanina Sherwood have been far more hot and cold this year, but both improved their season ERAs against the Rams (4.54, 4.87). If the Rebs can continue improving in the circle, this team can make some noise in the tournament.
The Rebels will travel to Albuquerque for their Wednesday doubleheader against the Lobos, then come back home to Vegas for a weekend two-gamer against Utah State. The Lobos are riding high after an upset road sweep of Boise State, while Utah State likewise upset SDSU on the road for their first ever road win against the Aztecs. Both of the Rebels’ opponents have a good deal of momentum, but the Lobos look like a very bad matchup for the Rebels. Utah State should be easy enough to take down, but I think this week will result in a 2-2 record for UNLV. Anything more than that would be a massive win.
4. Colorado State Rams (18-19, 6-6 MW)
Last Week: #3
NCAA RPI: #168
This Week’s Games:
vs. San Jose State (11-24) – Apr. 8, 11:00 a.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Jose State (11-24) – Apr. 8, 1:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Fresno State (17-15) – Apr. 11, 3:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Fresno State (17-15) – Apr. 12, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Colorado State had a bad start to the week, choking away their opener against UNLV before getting run-ruled in the second game to lose the series. However, the Rams did salvage the weekend a bit by nearly run-ruling the Rebs in the final game, ending the week with a 1-2 record, their placement within the conference tournament cutoff still very well intact.
Colorado State currently ranks sixth in the MW in batting average (.280), ranking fifth in OPS (.772), though this is a team where production comes from all across the lineup. Madi Eslinger leads the team in batting average (.385), Jailey Wilson leads the team in OPS (.964), Kyra Smith leads the team in RBIs (29), and both Smith and Wilson are tied for the team lead in homers (five).
CSU’s stout pitching core has been a bit more iffy as the season has gone on. Once comfortably in second in the conference in ERA, the Rams have now fallen all the way down to fourth in the conference (3.57). Reagan Wick has largely dominated in the circle (2.65 ERA, 65 Ks), despite having 105.2 innings of work as of now. In addition, despite being unable to buy a strikeout, Giselle Bentley has emerged as a solid #2 option, backing up Wick with a mark of 3.35 in 71.0 innings. The rest of the Rams’ staff has not been great, hence their two losses to UNLV, as well as their higher than expected ERA.
CSU hosts SJSU for their doubleheader, then will travel to Fresno for a weekend series against the Bulldogs. With both teams having the same record in conference play, the latter series will likely have huge implications on who makes it to the conference tournament. The Rams should easily sweep the Spartans given their recent performances, so I would say 3-1 is the bare minimum standard for the Rams if they want to have a shot at the tournament.
5. New Mexico Lobos (18-19, 6-6 MW)
Last Week: #7
NCAA RPI: #122
This Week’s Games:
vs. UNLV (20-18) – Apr. 8, 12:00 a.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. UNLV (20-18) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at #RV/NR Nevada (26-13) – Apr. 11, 4:05 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at #RV/NR Nevada (26-13) – Apr. 12, 12:35 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
New Mexico has rocketed up the rankings the last two weeks, having now won six of their last seven games (take your jokes and hand gestures elsewhere). Outside of Nevada, I don’t think there is a team that has more momentum than the Lobos do right now, with UNM somehow finding themselves well inside the conference tournament cutoff after beginning conference play 0-5.
The Lobos have been stout in the pitching realm all season, now ranking fifth in the conference in ERA (3.88), as well as having a fistful of MW Player honors for their Week 9 performance. McKenna Guest (10.2 IP, 1.31 ERA) took home MW Pitcher of the Week honors, while Caitlin Benningfield (9.0 IP, 0.78 ERA) was named MW Freshman of the Week. Benningfield leads the team with an ERA of 3.00 in 91.0 innings, and leads the conference with an absurd 89 strikeouts. This girl is about to get paid this offseason, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this incredible freshman.
As for the batters, New Mexico finally got themselves out of last place in the conference in batting average (.265, tied-eighth). What that fact belies is how good they truly have been at the plate this season, as they are all the way up in sixth in OPS (.771). This is largely due to the continued excellence of Miracle McKenzie, who leads the Lobos in batting average (.360), OPS (1.317), home runs (14), and RBIs (36). DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Gabrielle Briones and Allie Williams are each dominant in their own right, but frankly, this team would not be as scary as it is without McKenzie.
New Mexico is set to get very well acquainted with the state of Nevada this week, as they host UNLV for a doubleheader on Wednesday, then travel to Reno for a two-game series against the Wolf Pack. Both the Rebels and Pack are coming off of incredibly important series wins, so these matches will be opportunities for the Lobos to catch two teams that are riding high off guard with their stout pitching core. I would expect the Lobos to split with the Rebels and lose both to the Wolf Pack, but this is a team that has quickly gotten used to exceeding my expectations.
6. Fresno State Bulldogs (17-15, 6-6 MW)
Last Week: #8
NCAA RPI: #106
This Week’s Games:
vs. #20/25 GCU (37-4) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #20/25 GCU (37-4) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Colorado State (18-19) – Apr. 11, 2:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Colorado State (18-19) – Apr. 12, 11:00 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #24/23 Stanford (22-12) – Apr. 15, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
Fresno State got snubbed from my “good” tier due to the Wolf Pack’s upset of the Lopes in Phoenix, but make no mistake: the Bulldogs had a fantastic week, sweeping the rival Spartans into nothingness in a series I thought the Bulldogs would lose. Yes, it’s only SJSU, but even mighty Nevada and GCU struggled more against the Spartans, both at home, than the Bulldogs did on the road. The ‘Dogs have their momentum, now they just need to keep it.
Fresno State ranks fifth in the conference in batting average (.291), and sixth in OPS (.768). Jamie Hicks leads the team in everything (.370 avg, .982 OPS, four homers, 23 RBIs), but the star of the rivalry sweep was MW Player of the Week Rylee Bocchini. Bocchini, who entered the week with a team-worst batting average of just .190, ended it with a .247 after going 6-for-10 with a double, two triples, and five RBIs. The largely cold-hitting Bulldogs ranked ninth in OPS entering this week, so Bocchini being able to get on base and use her deadly speed to collect extra bases will continue to be necessary for the ‘Dogs to maintain success moving forward.
The Bulldogs continue to surprise in the pitching department, now ranking second in the MW in ERA (3.52), ahead of even Nevada. Alyssa Ramirez (1.52 ERA, 32.1 IP) has been largely great as a reliever, but let’s not kid ourselves: Lauryn Carranco is the heart and soul of this team. Carranco currently ranks third in the conference in ERA (2.63) and second in strikeouts (83) among pitchers with at least 60.0 innings of work; in other words, among full-time starters. What makes this incredible is that she is doing this with an obscene workload of a conference-high 120.0 innings, the 21st-most innings of any pitcher in the country, Wherever Carranco goes, the ‘Dogs follow, which has largely led them to pitching excellence this season.
Fresno State will face what will be far and away their toughest week of the season, only saved by the fact that all five of their games will be at the Margie Wright Diamond. The Bulldogs start by hosting GCU for a doubleheader, then host fellow 6-6 in-conference team Colorado State for a weekend series. After that, the Bulldogs have the unenviable task of hosting an inconsistent, yet still powerful Stanford team for a midweek duel. I could easily see Fresno State going 0-5 with this brutal slate, but given Carranco’s excellence, along with their recent run of good form at the plate, my guess here will be 2-3, with a win over Colorado State and an upset over the Lopes. This will be an exciting slate to watch the Bulldogs smash through.
7. San Diego State Aztecs (20-17, 5-7 MW)
Last Week: #6
NCAA RPI: #89
This Week’s Games:
vs. #RV/NR Nevada (26-13) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #RV/NR Nevada (26-13) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at San Jose State (11-24) – Apr. 11, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at San Jose State (11-24) – Apr. 12, 11:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
In a season that continues to get worse and worse, the Aztecs hit a new low this week by losing a home series to Utah State for the first time in program history. San Diego State continues to sink deeper and deeper, having now gone 12-15 over their last 27 games, and having not won even two games in a row since the first week of conference play. I don’t care what RPI says, or what their win-loss record says, I would rather put any of the top six teams in the conference tournament right now than this mess of a squad, and I could make solid arguments for any of the bottom three teams as well.
The Aztecs still rank third in the conference in batting average (.322), dropping behind UNLV to fourth in OPS (.859). Jade Ignacio still leads the team in average (.410) and RBIs (30), but was benched for the last two games of the USU series for unknown reasons. Second star Jazmin Williams leads the team in OPS (1.044) and home runs (eight). The Aztecs have a uniquely fluid lineup, as only six players have started more than 25 games, but that lineup has led to little additional success, with Kalia Pollard being the only player outside of their normal starters that has more than six RBIs this season. This weekend was the most disturbing performance for this lineup this season, as the Aztecs left 14 runners on base, going a dreadful 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position during their two losses. Keep in mind, these two losses were to a team allowing over nine runs per game over their previous 18 games. Unacceptable.
SDSU’s pitching continues to sputter, just slightly improving their team ERA this week to a still-not-great 4.04, ranking sixth in the conference. Ava Schaffel now leads the team in ERA (3.35), ranking just ahead of Key-annah Pu’a (3.45) and fallen ace Faith Jordan (3.52). Notably, Pu’a would easily rank at the top here if not for her two-run collapse at the end of Game 1 against the Aggies, a glaring example of SDSU’s total lack of clutch playing ability this season.
The Aztecs host Nevada for a doubleheader on Wednesday, then travel up the coast to San Jose for a two-game weekend series against the Spartans. Perhaps SDSU can catch Nevada napping after their historic series upset against GCU this weekend, and SJSU is far and away the worst team in the conference. Maybe, just maybe, this is the week the Aztecs get back on track.
8. Boise State Broncos (18-23, 4-8 MW)
Last Week: #5
NCAA RPI: #101
This Week’s Games:
at Utah State (16-21) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Utah State (16-21) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at #20/25 GCU (37-4) – Apr. 10, 8:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at #20/25 GCU (37-4) – Apr. 11, 2:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Idaho State (27-15) – Apr. 14, 4:00 p.m. MDT, ESPN+
Boise State was swept off the map by New Mexico at home this week, continuing their awful start to conference play. The Broncos still rank decently in RPI rankings due to their two ranked wins, but make no mistake, this team has zero chance at an at-large bid this season.
The Broncos now rank seventh in the conference in batting average (.267), slipping to eight in the league in OPS (.758). Boise State has four hitters with an average of at least .323 (Quinn Southerland, Marissa Gonzalez, Sophia Romero, Skylar Stroh), but none of those players are hitting better than Southerland’s average of .336. Gonzalez leads the team in OPS (.948), Stroh leads the team in RBIs (35), and the hit-or-miss Mya Flindt leads the team with eight homers. Hit-or-miss is a very good way to describe this team, as Boise State has struck out a whopping 210 times this season, tied for fifth-most in the entire country. There is largely no consistency in this Bronco lineup, and it has led to the majority of their losses this season, especially in nonconference play.
As for the Broncos’ recent cold streak in conference play, look no further than their once-great pitching staff, which has dropped all the way down to seventh in the conference in ERA (4.28). Loula-Rae McNamara is trying her absolute hardest to carry this lineup, easily leading the team with a 2.72 ERA. The second-best ERA on the team is Charley Duran’s 4.54, which has led to the Broncos giving up at least six runs in each of their last five games.
Boise State will play a five-game road trip this week, traveling to Logan, Phoenix, and Pocatello for matchups with Utah State, GCU, and rival Idaho State. The Aggies are coming off of their first ever road series win over the Aztecs (more on that shortly), the Lopes are coming off of a home series loss to the Wolf Pack (see the first note), and the Bengals are 27-15. In other words, Utah State will be riding high, Grand Canyon will be playing mad, and Idaho State is a tough out for anybody. This has a chance to get ugly very quickly for the Broncos.
9. Utah State Aggies (16-21, 5-7 MW)
Last Week: #9
NCAA RPI: #109
This Week’s Games:
vs. Boise State (18-23) – Apr. 8, 12:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Boise State (18-23) – Apr. 8, 2:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at UNLV (20-18) – Apr. 11, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at UNLV (20-18) – Apr. 12, 1:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
vs. #1/1 Texas Tech (38-2) – Apr. 13, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
at Weber State (11-29) – Apr. 14, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Utah State scored their first ever series win against the Aztecs in San Diego this weekend, allowing their lowest run total in a three-game span since February. It may not be much, but progress is progress when you have a pitching staff like the Aggies have.
Utah State also ranks last in the conference in batting average (.263), though unlike their pitching numbers, that stat is well within reach of the rest of the pack. Kya Pratt and Alex Bunton are the team leaders in most offensive categories: Pratt in average (.348), and Bunton in OPS (.961) and RBIs (25). Kaylee Erickson, who is the team leader in home runs (seven), and also the overall leader in batting average (.356) and OPS (1.310), has been benched once again for reasons I cannot explain, invalidating the praise I gave USU last week for continuing to take advantage of her hot streak.
Utah State slightly improved their season ERA, going from 6.82 to 6.77, now only 268th in the country. A shoutout here goes to Rylie Pindel, who improved her season ERA to a team-leading 5.03 in her 79.1 innings of work. Yes, it has been that bad for Utah State in the circle this season. I do not know what Utah State’s plan is going forward, but whatever it is, it worked against the Aztecs, so I suppose some form of trust has been earned in that regard.
Utah State has an interesting week ahead of them. After hosting a doubleheader against Boise State, the Aggies will travel to Las Vegas for a weekend series with the red-hot Rebels. The Aggies will then have back-to-back midweek games. The first will be a potentially program-changing home game against Texas Tech, the consensus #1 team in the country. The second will take them slightly south to take on rival Weber State for the first leg of a season home-and-home. I think a realistic expectation for USU here is 3-3, with wins over the Broncos, Rebels and Wildcats. Anything more than that would be amazing.
10. San Jose State Spartans (11-24, 3-9 MW)
Last Week: #10
NCAA RPI: #157
This Week’s Games:
at Colorado State (17-19) – Apr. 8, 10:00 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
at Colorado State (17-19) – Apr. 8, 12:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Diego State (19-16) – Apr. 11, 3:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. San Diego State (19-16) – Apr. 12, 11:00 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
SJSU was so very close to moving away from caboose status this week, but now they are farther away than they have ever been. The Spartans got swept off the map by rival Fresno State in the final in-conference Battle for the Valley, scoring their first truly embarrassing outcome in the confines of conference play. The Spartans are now three games back of the conference tournament cutoff, and with just 13 games left for them to play, it is seeming less and less likely that SJSU will return to the conference tournament in 2026.
San Jose State ranks eighth in the MW in batting average (.265), but is all the way down in last in OPS (.712), ranking 256th in the country in the latter category. SJSU’s lineup is rather similar to Boise State’s, with four hitters at or above a .312 average, but the leader in the stat (Ahmiya Noriega) is hitting just .336. Reina Zermeno, meanwhile, still leads the team in OPS (1.053), home runs (six) and RBIs (22). The fact that Zermeno leads the team with just 22 RBIs is quite disturbing, with their total team tally of 115 RBIs on the year being 12 fewer than anyone else in the conference (Fresno State, Utah State).
SJSU’s ERA decreased slightly this week, still ranking ninth overall (5.20). Delaney Faus (4.45, 108.2 IP) and Norah Coulsell (5.23, 79.0 IP) are still operating a largely two-arm rotation, and are doing respectably well, given the circumstances the pair of freshmen have been thrown into this season. I don’t think they have the gas to get their team to the conference tournament this year, but perhaps with a year of experience under their belts, the Spartans can return to having the elite rotation that they had in 2025.
San Jose State travels to Fort Collins for a Wednesday doubleheader against the Rams, then hosts San Diego State for a weekend series. Both the Rams and Aztecs are coming off of series losses, and both will be looking to capitalize on matchups with the worst team in the conference. I could see the Spartans taking down the Aztecs in at least one game, but then again, I said that about the Fresno State series, too.
