After Week 4 of the 2026 NCAA softball season, the divide between the contenders and the pretenders is starting to become more clear. In the Mountain West Conference, there appear to be three teams that look like they will be alone at the top of the conference, a mid-pack consisting of six teams, and one team serving as a free series win. Let’s take a look at how these teams have fared so far, and where everybody stands heading into the final major week of nonconference tournament play.
1. #20/23 Grand Canyon Lopes (22-0)
Last Week:
#1
This Week’s Games:
vs. Wisconsin (13-6) – Mar. 5, 3:00 p.m. MST, no coverage provided
vs. Notre Dame (7-12) – Mar. 6, 12:30 p.m. MST, no coverage provided
at San Diego (10-9) – Mar. 6, 5:30 p.m. MST, no coverage provided
vs. Princeton (5-4) – Mar. 7, 11:00 a.m. MST, no coverage provided
vs. Notre Dame (7-12) – Mar. 7, 3:00 p.m. MST, no coverage provided
Grand Canyon remained undefeated this week, scoring their first two power-conference victories of the season against Minnesota and Wisconsin. They also won four of their six games via shutout, making a total of 12 shutout victories out of the Lopes’ 22 games this season. GCU is one of just three remaining undefeated teams in the country, the other two being the top-ten Volunteers and Crimson Tide.
GCU leads the conference in: batting average (.337), OPS (1.002), home runs (29), RBIs (135), and stolen bases (29). Addison Shifflett leads the team in batting average (.460) and OPS (1.251) among qualified starters. Alina Satcher has the overall lead in OPS (1.490), but has not started a game since the opening series of the season for whatever reason. The team leader in home runs and RBIs is second-best hitter Jada Cooper, her 22 RBIs leading the conference, and five home runs ranking second in the MWC.
The Lopes continue to lead the conference in ERA, their team total of 1.37 ranking 5th in the country. Taryn Batterton, despite no longer holding a perfect ERA, is still pitching brilliantly, leading the team with a mark of 1.30, while second starter Oakley Vickers is right behind her with a mark of 1.39. In addition, Abi Jones, Natalie Fritz and Maggie Place each have ERAs of 1.35 or less through 21.0 or fewer innings. This is as deep of a rotation as you will find outside the SEC.
GCU will leave Phoenix for the first time all season this week, travelling to San Diego for a joint event hosted by USD and SDSU. The most notable matchup here is their tournament-opening rematch against the Badgers, who nearly upset the Lopes last week on their home field. I’m interested to see how the Lopes do away from home.
2. Nevada Wolf Pack (13-7)
Last Week: #3
This Week’s Games:
vs. Oregon State (9-12) – Mar. 6, 10:00 a.m. PST, B1G Ten+
vs. Sacramento State (16-4) – Mar. 6, 12:30 p.m. PST, B1G Ten+
vs. Oregon State (9-12) – Mar. 7, 10:00 a.m. PST, B1G Ten+
at #18/18 Oregon (13-6) – Mar. 7, 3:30 p.m. PST, B1G Ten+
at #18/18 Oregon (13-6) – Mar. 8, 12:30 p.m. PDT, B1G Ten+
Nevada went 5-0 at the Capital Classic, their first unblemished week of the season. Their record is great, but the true win for the Wolf Pack was in finally getting star pitcher Hailey McLean her confidence back. McLean was forced into the game against Sacramento State after Talia Tretton gave up 6 runs in 2.1 innings, proceeding to allow zero hits against 5 Ks in 4.2 dominant innings of an emphatic comeback.
The Wolf Pack rank second in the conference batting average with a mark of .325. Madison Clark leads the conference in batting average with .472, but the star of the show for the Wolf Pack this week was senior Hannah “Pork Chop” Di Genova, who turned in a Player of the Week performance by hitting .500 on the weekend with six RBIs on seven hits, including a triple and two home runs. Di Genova now holds sole possession of the conference lead in home runs with six.
In the circle, the Pack also rank second with an ERA of 3.08. Tretton still leads the team, though her ERA ballooned to 2.50 because of the disastrous performance against the Hornets, now ranking just ahead of Tess Bumiller’s mark of 2.60. Ainsley Berlingeri’s ERA is down to 3.61, and McLean’s ERA dropped all the way down to 4.40 with her dominance against Sac State. Suddenly, Nevada’s rotation looks far more intimidating than has lately.
Nevada will head up to Eugene for their final MTE, Oregon’s Jane Sanders Classic. In addition to rematches with the Beavers and Hornets, the Wolf Pack will have their final—and likely best—opportunity to get a marquee win, having back-to-back games against hosts Oregon. I’m excited to see if the momentum gained in the Capital Classic is sustainable, or if it’s just a flash in the pan.
3. San Diego State Aztecs (12-8)
Last Week: #2
This Week’s Games:
at Long Beach State (12-8) – Mar. 4, 5:30 p.m. PST, ESPN+
vs. Wisconsin (13-6) – Mar. 5, 6:00 p.m. PST, no coverage provided
vs. Notre Dame (7-12) – Mar. 7, 4:30 p.m. PST, no coverage provided
vs. Princeton (5-4) – Mar. 8, 1:30 p.m. PDT, no coverage provided
San Diego State had a disastrous week 10 miles away from home, going 2-3 with two run-rule losses to Washington and a horrible loss to CSUN. I didn’t think they would be dropping in the rankings any time soon, but it seems I was mistaken on that front.
The Aztecs rank third in the conference in batting average with a mark of .310. Jade Ignacio is the team leader in batting average (.435), OPS (1.117), and RBIs (19), while Jazmin Williams (.400 avg) is the team’s best home run hitter, mashing five so far this season.
The circle has been where the Aztecs have been struggling more than a bit lately. SDSU has fallen all the way down to 6th in the conference in ERA with a mark of 4.24. Faith Jordan is the only pitcher on the team with an ERA below 3.00, her mark of 2.85 and 24 strikeouts both being by far the best the Aztecs currently have to offer.
After a nonconference game at a Long Beach State squad best known for taking down the indominable top-5 Oklahoma Sooners, the Aztecs will get to host their final MTE of the season, a joint event with USD. Wisconsin is the only team in this event that should provide any challenge for the Aztecs, but the LBSU game will be a dogfight. If SDSU can go either 3-1 or 4-0 this week, they will have fully put their last week behind them just in time for conference play.
4. New Mexico Lobos (10-9)
Last Week: #7
This Week’s Games:
vs. #12/17 Mississippi State (18-2) – Mar. 6, 9:00 a.m. MST, no coverage provided
vs. Samford (7-13) – Mar. 6, 11:30 a.m. MST, no coverage provided
vs. #12/17 Mississippi State (18-2) – Mar. 7, 9:00 a.m. MST, no coverage provided
at South Alabama (13-7) – Mar. 7, 2:00 p.m. MST, ESPN+
vs. Samford (7-13) – Mar. 8, 9:00 a.m. MDT, no coverage provided
at New Mexico State (9-13) – Mar. 10, 5:00 p.m. MDT, ESPN+
The Lobos are probably the hottest team in the conference out of those in the midpack, going 4-1 in their home MTE, including an upset split with Tarleton State, then defeating heated rival UTEP in El Paso for the first time since 2016. I fully expect the Lobos to drop down this list due to their tough MTE this weekend, but for now, the Lobos are a worthy nominee for “best of the rest.”
New Mexico currently ranks 5th in the conference in ERA with a mark of 3.44. Caitlin Benningfield leads the rotation with a mark of 2.13 and a whopping 41 strikeouts, which ranks second in the conference behind Taryn Batterton. McKenna Guest has struggled a bit lately, currently holding a line of 3.10, and now firmly sits at the #2 spot in the lineup.
As for the Lobos’ plate production, which has ranked last in the conference since the third game of the season, UNM has rebounded, now ranking 8th in the conference with an average of .271. Most of this is down to sophomore shortstop Gabrielle Briones, who leads her team with an average of .413 and an OPS of 1.156. Fellow sophomores Allie Williams and Miracle McKenzie lead the team in RBIs (18) and home runs (5), respectively.
The Lobos have the toughest MTE of any team this week, facing two more games against a ranked Mississippi State team, two games against a Samford team that has played up to multiple ranked teams this season, and one game at host South Alabama. I would expect UNM to go 1-4 in this event, but if they can keep up their recent momentum going into this event, they definitely have a chance to do better than that. In addition, the Lobos will finish their week against hated rival New Mexico State in Las Cruces, so motivation to keep momentum up will be at an all-time high.
5. Fresno State Bulldogs (9-7)
Last Week: #8
This Week’s Games:
vs. Saint Mary’s (11-7) – Mar. 7, 3:00 p.m. PST, no coverage provided
vs. Saint Mary’s (11-7) – Mar. 7, 5:30 p.m. PST, no coverage provided
at Santa Clara (9-12) – Mar. 8, 10:00 a.m. PDT, ESPN+
at Santa Clara (9-12) – Mar. 8, 12:30 p.m. PDT, ESPN+
I initially had the Bulldogs up at No. 4, but needing nine innings to beat a 2-18 CSU Bakersfield does not warrant such a high placement. Nonetheless, Fresno State went from arguably the worst week of their season to the best, going 4-0 at the Libby Matson Tournament in Stockton. Yes, both UCSD and Pacific are struggling right now, but so was SIUE, who the Bulldogs lost to in convincing fashion earlier in the year.
The Bulldogs are tied with CSU for 6th in the conference in batting average with a mark of .272, smack-dab in the middle of the large cluster of teams between 5th (.281) and 9th (.270). Jamie Hicks is the ‘Dogs’ most consistent hitter with a mark of .326, while Alyssa Ramirez holds the team lead in RBIs with 10. Sophomores Olivia Hill and Mallory Vancleave have both hit well in limited action, so I would look for them to get more playing time in the near future.
Despite their in-conference losses in the circle this offseason, the Bulldogs are, ironically, in a better place with their rotation than the Aztecs are right now, ranking 3rd in ERA with a mark of 3.20. CSUN transfer Lauryn Carranco had a perfect 0.00 ERA on the week, throwing her first career no-hitter against UCSD and a complete game shutout against Pacific, easily winning Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. Carranco’s ERA on the season is now 2.03, third-best in the conference among starters, and the highest ranked non-Lope.
Fresno State will have doubleheaders against Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara in the second Silicon Classic of the season. I would bet that these games will all be low-scoring slugfests, a type of game that has greatly benefited the Bulldogs this season. If the Bulldogs went 3-1, I would call this week a success.
6. Utah State Aggies (10-10)
Last Week: #5
This Week’s Games:
at Kansas (14-7) – Mar. 6, 12:00 p.m. MST, ESPN+
at Kansas (14-7) – Mar. 6, 2:30 p.m. MST, ESPN+
at Kansas (14-7) – Mar. 7, 11:00 a.m. MST, ESPN+
vs. Idaho State (10-10) – Mar. 10, 4:00 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Utah State had one of the worst weeks of any team, getting embarrassed by an assortment of in-state schools at Utah Tech’s Beehive Classic. USU has no momentum, and a tough true road series to undertake in this week, so I could easily see the Aggies tumbling down this ranking next week.
Utah State has somehow managed to outdo San Jose State in terms of horrific pitching, mostly due to their three-game stretch this week where they gave up a whole 2.00 runs per inning. The Aggies now rank last in the conference with a 5.28 ERA. Rylie Pindel’s 3.68 ERA is the only mark on the team below 4.50, including the team’s backup arms. Something needs to change in Utah State’s pitching coaches, because this is getting ridiculous.
On the brighter side, the Aggies still rank 5th in the conference in batting average (.281). Alex Bunton is still the team’s do-everything star, leading the team in average (.375), OPS (1.041), home runs (2) and RBIs (13). Kya Pratt and Grace Matej each have 12 RBIs, but all of these numbers greatly fell off from the heights of where they were as of last week, where the Aggies had an overall average of .296. Utah State is falling off hard.
To make matters worse, the Aggies have decided to schedule a true nonconference road series this week, as opposed to a final MTE. USU will face off against the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kan., for a three-game series, then will travel home for their home opener on Tuesday against Idaho State. I would expect Utah State to go 2-2 this week, but based off of their recent performances, I would not be the slightest bit surprised to see them drop below .500 for the first time all season. What a shame that would be for a team that started 7-2. At least that isn’t quite as bad as the collapse of…
7. Boise State Broncos (9-12)
Last Week: #4
This Week’s Games:
vs. Cal Baptist (17-4) – Mar. 5, 2:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Portland State (6-9) – Mar. 5, 5:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Portland State (6-9) – Mar. 6, 6:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Weber State (3-18) – Mar. 7, 3:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. St. Thomas (14-6) – Mar. 7, 5:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Weber State (3-18) – Mar. 8, 12:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Boise State really could, and probably should, be going lower on this list. However, I think that their ridiculous strength of schedule over the last few weeks, as well as their two ranked wins, should be taken into consideration, at least for now.
The Broncos are one of just two teams that currently ranks in the bottom three in both batting average and ERA. The team’s .260 batting average actually ranks dead last in the conference. Quinn Southerland (.345) and Skylar Stroh (.328) are the only full-time starters hitting above .300, the latter leading the team with 19 RBIs.
Boise State now ranks 8th in the conference in ERA with a mark of 4.74, a lot of which is due to their three-game span of allowing 32 runs in 17 innings in Fayetteville. Charley Duran (2.59 ERA) will continue to be this team’s ace as the season goes on, as she is the only arm that got out of Arkansas with an ERA below 3.89.
The Broncos have a great opportunity for a bounceback this week, hosting their only MTE of the season: the Blue Collar Classic. Doubleheaders against horrible Portland State and Weber State teams should be easy wins, but the Broncos also have great chances for confidence-boosting wins against great Cal Baptist and St. Thomas teams that have each taken ranked teams to the brink of defeat this season. Boise State needs to get this right, lest they have to go to Reno to start conference play with zero momentum.
8. Colorado State Rams (9-10)
Last Week: #9
This Week’s Games:
vs. Drake (4-10) – Mar. 6, 1:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. Kansas City (8-10) – Mar. 6, 3:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. South Dakota (4-15-1) – Mar. 7, 12:00 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. South Dakota (4-15-1) – Mar. 7, 2:30 p.m. MST, Mountain West Network
vs. South Dakota State (12-9) – Mar. 8, 12:30 p.m. MDT, Mountain West Network
Like Fresno State, the Rams also had their best week of the season thus far. CSU went 4-0 in their first of two straight home invitationals, giving the fans in Fort Collins hope that this season might just be an improvement after all. The Rams now have more than half of the wins they did in the entirety of the 2025 season.
Colorado State is still largely stuggling at the plate so far this season. The Rams hold a team average of .272, tied with the Bulldogs for 6th in the conference, while ranking third-to-last in RBIs per game (3.47), only ranking ahead of San Jose State and Fresno State. The Rams’ best hitter this season has been Lauren Stucky, who is hitting .393 so far, and the Rams’ leader in RBIs is Kyra Smith with 17. This week, freshman Madi Eslinger burst onto the scene by hitting .636 (7-of-11) with a home run and six RBIs. I would expect Eslinger to get much more playing time as the season progresses.
Perhaps surpisingly, the Rams have been one of the best teams in the conference in the circle this season, as CSU’s team ERA of 3.27 ranks 4th overall. Reagan Wick is still this team’s ace, ranking 5th in the conference among starters with an ERA of 2.18. She is backed up by Giselle Bentley, who ranks 7th overall with a mark of 2.53. Every other pitcher on the team has an ERA of worse than 5.00, including transfer Andrea Jaskowiak, who has mostly busted in her first season in Fort Collins.
Colorado State hosts their second and final home MTE this weekend, one where they will face three bad teams and a South Dakota State squad that has lost five straight games. I would hope the Rams could go undefeated for the second week in a row, but I think 3-2 is a more realistic expectation for these Rams right now.
9. UNLV Lady Rebels (9-11)
Last Week: #6
This Week’s Games:
vs. Utah Tech (8-11) – Mar. 6, 3:00 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. North Dakota State (11-8) – Mar. 6, 6:00 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. Loyola Marymount (15-5) – Mar. 7, 3:00 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. North Dakota State (11-8) – Mar. 7, 6:00 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. Loyola Marymount (15-5) – Mar. 8, 12:00 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
Dropping UNLV from No. 6 to No. 9 during a week where they went 2-3 may be a bit harsh, but that’s what happens when you lose to a 1-10 UC Riverside squad that has been obliterated by every team in the Mountain West that they have played this season. UNLV has undoubtedly improved since their abysmal start to the season, but to me, they look like a team on the verge of a collapse, which could easily come this week.
The Lady Rebels are currently hitting .294, which ranks 4th in the conference. Bri Williams leads the team in average (.419) and OPS (1.308), while Charelle Aki leads the team in home runs (five) and RBIs (21). Four UNLV hitters are hitting above .300, and four have at least 10 RBIs. The Rebels’ team ERA is currently 4.65, ranking 7th in the conference, led by Emma Wardlaw’s 3.89.
The Rebels’ team stats, which look great on paper, are a bit easier to explain when you look at their wins and losses. When UNLV wins, they win big, averaging 9.56 runs per win. When they lose, they can’t score at all, averaging just 2.18 runs across their 11 losses, only passing two runs scored in a loss three times. The same rings true in terms of pitching, giving up 7.81 runs per game during their losses, but just 2.44 runs per game when they win. There is simply no consistency in this team—they either blow their opponent out or get blown out. No other team in the conference has had fewer than five games decided by two or fewer runs, but the Rebels’ 6-5 loss to UC Riverside is the only game of UNLV’s entire season that has been decided by fewer than three runs.
UNLV hosts their final home MTE of the season this weekend, welcoming three teams with at least eight wins to Eller Media Stadium. Utah Tech did just soundly defeat Utah State, so I would not be surprised to see a blowout loss here, and I would expect the Rebels to either sweep or split with North Dakota, since the Bison haven’t beat any teams from a high-tier mid-major conference yet. That leaves their games against Loyola Marymount, one of the consistently best mid-major teams in the country. Not really much of a chance there. UNLV should likely go somewhere between 1-4 and 3-2 in this MTE.
10. San Jose State Spartans (5-14)
Last Week: #10
This Week’s Games:
vs. Santa Clara (9-12) – Mar. 7, 10:00 a.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. Santa Clara (9-12) – Mar. 7, 12:30 p.m. PST, Mountain West Network
vs. Saint Mary’s (11-7) – Mar. 8, 10:00 a.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
vs. Saint Mary’s (11-7) – Mar. 8, 12:30 p.m. PDT, Mountain West Network
Bringing up the rear once again is the SJSU Spartans, who went 1-3 last week, somehow beating a 14-2 Sacramento State team in their own stadium. The Spartans are definitely the worst team in the conference, but there is some good to talk about here.
San Jose State is currently hitting .270, ranking 9th in the conference. Ahmiya Noriega (.404) and Sophia Burdick (.390) raise that average quite significantly, while Reina Zermeno (.333) is the team leader in home runs (three) and RBIs (14).
The Spartans are finally not the worst in the circle in the MWC, narrowly edging out Utah State in ERA with a mark of 5.26. Delaney Faus has rebounded from a terrible start to the year, giving up zero earned runs in five of her last six games. Her ERA of 4.31 is now best on the team, overtaking Norah Coulsell’s mark of 4.77. These numbers still are not great, but nearly anything is better than what they have done for the majority of the season.
San Jose State will host their second MTE of the season this weekend, facing off in two games each against Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s. Both teams are usually difficult to beat, but the Broncos in particular have struggled against MWC teams, going 0-4 against the conference this season. I would say 1-3 is a realistic expectation for SJSU here.
