For the first time under coach Caitlin Lowe, Arizona softball is hosting an NCAA regional. The last time the Wildcats did so, they reached the Women’s College World Series.
Arizona (45-11) earned the No. 13 seed in this year’s NCAA Softball Tournament and will open against Santa Clara (33-20) Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+. Ole Miss (37-17) and Grand Canyon (46-6) are also in the Regional.
Tucson Regional
May 16-18(13) @ArizonaSoftball@OleMissSoftball@GCU_Softball@SCUSoftball#RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/4DWtOczcn0
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 11, 2025
As the No. 13 seed, Arizona could face No. 4 Arkansas in the Super Regionals if the Wildcats were to advance.
Arizona is hosting a regional after not hosting the last three years. The UA went on the road to start the 2022 and 2024 tournaments, and missed the 2023 field altogether. Arizona has advanced to the Super Regionals the last 12 times it’s hosted a regional, last failing to move on from home in 2004.
Arizona opens against a Santa Clara squad that won the WCC regular season title with an 11-4 conference record. The Wildcats and Broncos have never faced each other before on the softball diamond.
Arizona has never lost the opening game of a Tucson Regional.
The bracket is set!
https://t.co/5oYyDNlWix
️ https://t.co/QxhUYg5UXP #RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/fYEHtYaMY0— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 11, 2025
The UA has history against the other two programs in the Regional. The Wildcats are 5-0 all-time against Ole Miss, including wins over the Rebels in the 2021 Tucson Regional, Lowe’s first season as head coach. Arizona also swept the Rebels in the 2019 Tucson Super Regional.
Arizona is 16-0 all-time versus GCU but has never faced the Lopes in the postseason. Arizona defeated GCU 7-3 in Phoenix earlier this season in a game that went to extra innings. GCU went on to go 21-2 in the WAC and won the conference tournament to clinch its bid to the NCAAs. GCU is riding a 23-game win streak.
If Arizona makes it out of Regional play, it’ll potentially face Arkansas in the Supers.
Arizona has recent postseason experience in Arkansas, winning the 2024 Fayetteville Regional and the 2021 Fayetteville Super Regional. The latter cliched Arizona’s ticket to the Women’s College World Series in Lowe’s first season.
Arizona enters the NCAAs coming off an appearance in the Big 12 Tournament championship game, where the Wildcats fell to Texas Tech 4-0.