The Arizona Wildcats have not announced their full nonconference slate yet, but other programs’ schedules give clues about some of the marquee matchups fans can expect in the 2026 softball season. UA has
been finalizing contracts for some of its early season games but D1 Softball has already written about two of the big opponents on the schedule.
Arizona will make a trip to Baton Rouge for a full three-game series against LSU in April. The conference bye weeks line up for the Wildcats and the Tigers, giving them an opportunity to play games from Apr. 10-12 at Tiger Park.
An earlier matchup will be more convenient for Wildcat fans. The Oklahoma Sooners are coming to Tucson for the Candrea Classic. Patty Gasso’s team will play Arizona on Friday, Feb. 6. Utah State and Howard will also be in the field, according to OU’s schedule.
Last season, Arizona got most of its big matchups at home, both in and out of conference play. Washington, Stanford, Alabama, and Texas all came to Hillenbrand in 2025. Once Big 12 play started, Arizona got to host Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, who were considered its top rivals for the conference championship. While the Red Raiders more than lived up to billing, the Cowgirls didn’t have the kind of season they wanted.
This year, the Wildcats will travel to Lubbock and Stillwater, but they will have home series against ASU and Baylor once Big 12 competition gets underway. They will also host Iowa State, which finished third in both the regular season and conference tournament, but did not secure an NCAA berth.
