Alabama Softball Schedule 2026: Full Slate, How to Watch, and Tickets

Alabama softball enters its 30th season as the No. 2 seed in the 2026 SEC Tournament, riding a 19-5 conference record under 28th-year head coach Patrick Murphy (Sports Illustrated). The Crimson Tide host 30 regular-season games at Rhoads Stadium and travel to four SEC road series before the postseason ramps up in May (Alabama Athletics).

This page covers the full Alabama softball schedule for 2026, the SEC Tournament path in Lexington, every nationally televised game, and what tickets actually cost on the secondary market. Use the sections below to plan a single-game visit, a road trip to Auburn or Knoxville, or a couch-side weekend with the SEC Network.

2026 Alabama Softball Season at a Glance

The 2026 campaign marks Alabama's 30th year as a softball program and Patrick Murphy's 28th season at the helm. Murphy has built one of the SEC’s most consistent programs. Over 28 seasons, he has won 1,364 games, made every NCAA Tournament, reached the Women’s College World Series 15 times, and captured the 2012 national title against Oklahoma (Alabama Athletics).

Alabama’s roster mixes veteran leadership with one of the nation’s strongest freshman classes. Senior outfielders Kristen White and Larissa Preuitt anchor a veteran lineup, with senior catcher Marlie Giles behind the plate and junior Jocelyn Briski headlining the pitching staff (Roll 'Bama Roll). A 19-5 SEC record going into the tournament ranks among the best regular seasons in program history.

Remaining 2026 Schedule: SEC Tournament and Beyond

The regular season is complete. Alabama earned the No. 2 seed at the 2026 SEC Tournament, which runs May 5–9 at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky (NCAA.com). The top four seeds — Oklahoma (1), Alabama (2), Florida (3), and Texas (4) — all received double byes into the quarterfinals.

Alabama opens play Thursday, May 7 at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network against Arkansas (Alabama Athletics). Win that, and the Crimson Tide stay alive into Friday's semifinals.

After Lexington, attention shifts to the NCAA Tournament. The bracket will be announced May 10, with Regionals beginning May 15–17, Super Regionals May 22-24, and the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City starting May 28. Alabama's seed line — top eight national seeds host through Super Regionals — will determine whether games return to Rhoads Stadium.

SEC Home Series: Where Alabama Hosts in Tuscaloosa

Four conference series came to Rhoads Stadium during the 2026 regular season (Alabama Athletics). The home slate produced some of the loudest crowds of the year and shaped Alabama's path to the No. 2 seed.

The Texas series carried the most national weight — the Longhorns are now a top-four SEC seed in their conference debut. The South Carolina weekend doubled as Senior Day for Alabama's seven outgoing players. If the Crimson Tide land a top-eight national seed, more home softball is coming to Tuscaloosa for Regional and Super Regional weekends.

SEC Away Series: Road Tests

Alabama hit the road for four SEC series during conference play (Alabama Athletics).

The Auburn series is the headline matchup. The Iron Bowl rivalry travels well — fans from both fan bases make the trip across the state, and resale demand spiked for the game.

Non-Conference Highlights

Alabama opened 2026 with a stretch of tournaments and home dates that shaped the seeding picture before SEC play started (Alabama Athletics).

• Buzz Classic (Feb. 5-7, Atlanta) — Georgia Tech, East Carolina, Villanova

• Easton Bama Bash (Feb. 13-15, Rhoads Stadium) — annual home invitational

• Dugout Club Classic (Feb. 20-22, Tallahassee) — Florida State, Dartmouth, Elon

• T-Mobile Crimson Classic (Feb. 27-March 1, Rhoads Stadium) — second home tournament

• Midweek home games — UAB (Feb. 24), Samford (March 10), ULM (March 17), Jacksonville State / North Alabama (March 25), North Dakota State (March 28-29), South Alabama (April 7)

The Florida State trip was the toughest non-conference test — the Seminoles are a perennial Super Regional team and a litmus test for Alabama's pitching depth.

How to Watch Alabama Softball in 2026

Alabama softball drew seven nationally televised games during the 2026 regular season, split across SEC Network and ESPN platforms. For the postseason, here is where to find every Crimson Tide game:

• First round through quarterfinals (May 5-7) — SEC Network

• SEC Tournament semifinals (May 8) — ESPN

• SEC Tournament championship (May 9) — ESPN

• NCAA Regionals & Super Regionals (May 15-24) — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+ (game-by-game)

• Women’s College World Series (May 28–June 5) — ESPN family of networks from Devon Park, Oklahoma City

Streaming options include the ESPN app (cable login required for linear channels), ESPN+ for non-televised early-round games, and Fubo, which carries SEC Network and offers a trial for new subscribers (Yahoo Sports).

Alabama Softball Tickets and Rhoads Stadium

Home games are played at the John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium, built in 2000 for $2.2 million and expanded three times to a current capacity of 3,940. Rhoads sits on Alabama's athletic campus a short walk from Coleman Coliseum and the football complex.

For 2026, Alabama added new general-admission seating in the Brickyard — the right-field outfield section — giving fans a more affordable option separate from chair-back reserved seating (Sports Illustrated). Single-game tickets went on sale in early February through the Alabama ticket office (Alabama Athletics).

On the secondary market, Alabama Crimson Tide softball tickets typically start around $10 with an average price of about $52, based on current listings on Vivid Seats. Pricing varies sharply by opponent — Texas, Auburn, and SEC Tournament games sit well above the average, while midweek non-conference games come in lower.

For game-by-game pricing and seat selection across the remaining 2026 schedule, the listings below pull live inventory.

FAQ: Alabama Softball Schedule 2026

Where does Alabama softball play home games?

Alabama plays home games at the John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The venue opened in 2000 and has expanded three times to its current capacity of 3,940, with new general-admission seating added in the right-field Brickyard section for the 2026 season.

When is Alabama in the 2026 SEC Tournament?

The Crimson Tide open SEC Tournament play Thursday, May 7 at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network as the No. 2 seed. Alabama drew a double bye into the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the Arkansas / Mississippi State / Kentucky bracket pod at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

Where can I watch Alabama softball games?

SEC Network carries the bulk of Alabama softball games during the regular season and the early rounds of the SEC Tournament. ESPN takes over for SEC Tournament semifinals and the final. Streaming options include the ESPN app with a cable login, ESPN+ for select non-televised games, and Fubo, which carries SEC Network.

How much are Alabama softball tickets?

On the secondary market, Alabama softball tickets start around $10 with an average price near $52, based on current Vivid Seats listings. Prices climb for marquee opponents like Texas and Auburn and for SEC Tournament and NCAA postseason games. Single-game seats are also sold directly through the Alabama ticket office.

Who is the head coach of Alabama softball?

Patrick Murphy is in his 28th season as Alabama's head coach. He took over the program in July 1998, has won more than 1,200 games, has made every NCAA Tournament during his tenure, has reached the Women's College World Series 15 times, and led Alabama to the 2012 national championship over Oklahoma.