No. 7/10 Razorbacks Head to Lexington for 2026 SEC Tournament

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 7/10 Arkansas Softball team begins postseason play with a trip to Lexington, Ky., for the 2026 SEC Softball Tournament, where the Hogs will open play on Wednesday at approximately 1 p.m. against the winner of the Mississippi State/Kentucky matchup.

The Bulldogs and Wildcats will meet on Tuesday at approximately 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to play Arkansas on Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the SEC Network. Kevin Brown (PxP) and Amanda Scarborough (Analyst) will be on the call for Wednesday’s action. The winner of Wednesday’s matchup will move on to face Alabama on Thursday at 1 p.m. on the SEC Network.

The Razorbacks entered the 13th week of the 2026 season ranked fifth in the Softball America Top 25 Poll. Arkansas garnered rankings of No. 7, No. 10 and No. 8 in the ESPN/USA Softball, NFCA/GoRout D1 Coaches and D1Softball polls last week.

Arkansas enters the tournament as the No. 7 seed with a 41-10 record this season and a 15-9 mark in SEC play. The Razorbacks are coming off a 2-1 series win at No. 5/7 Texas last weekend, taking the first two games 2-0 and 4-3 before falling 4-1 in the series finale. The Razorbacks are outscoring opponents 392-136 this season.

The Arkansas Razorbacks, one of the nation’s most successful programs in recent years, have been ranked in the Top 25 of the NFCA Coaches poll for a program-best 101 consecutive weeks dating back to the start of the 2020 season.  Arkansas is one of five programs nationally to have appeared in the Top 25 of every NFCA Coaches Poll since the start of the 2020 season, joining Oklahoma, Florida, UCLA, and Florida State.

FOLLOW ALONG

Wednesday, May 6
TBD vs. #7/10 Arkansas – 1 p.m. – SEC Network – Live Stats

No. 400 IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT

Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel earned her 400th win at Arkansas on May 1, 2026, courtesy of a 4-3 win at McCombs Field over No. 5/7 Texas. Deifel also won her first game at Arkansas at McCombs Field with an 8-4 win over North Dakota State on Feb. 12, 2016, which featured seven unanswered runs capped by a walk-off grand slam from Shelby Hiers.

BAIN AMONG THE BEST FRESHMEN IN THE GAME 

Freshman Brinli Bain was named a Top 25 Finalist for the prestigious NFCA DI Freshman of the Year Award, the organization announced on April 23.

Bain became the fifth Razorback since 2018 to be selected to the prestigious list, joining Ella McDowell (2025), Kennedy Miller (2024), Reagan Johnson (2023), and former Hog Mary Haff (2018). Additionally, Arkansas is the only program in the nation to have a top 25 finalist for the award in each of the previous four seasons.

This season, she has posted a .368 average with 49 hits, 17 doubles, three homers, 41 walks, 38 runs scored, 33 RBI and a .520 OBP. She is seeking to break Stephanie Canfield’s freshman program record batting average (.381, 2013) while her .520 OBP ranks second among freshmen in a season. Bain is the first freshman nationally to draw 40+ walks and strikeout 20 times or less in a regular season since Alabama’s Bailey Hemphill (47 BB, 14 K) in 2017.

Additionally, Bain and Addy Waits of Missouri are the only two freshmen nationally with 40+ walks this season. She is the only player nationally to rank in the top five among D1 freshmen (Min 80 AB) in walks per game (1st, .80), OBP (2nd, .520), and doubles (3rd, 17)

40 FOR ARKANSAS

Arkansas registered its eighth 40-win season in program history with a 2-0 win over Texas in the series opener (April 30). Six of the Hogs’ 40-win seasons have come under the direction of Courtney Deifel.

Deifel has posted 40-win seasons in 2026, 2025, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2018. The only two 40+ win seasons before Deifel were in 1999 and 2000 under Carie Dever Boaz, when Arkansas went 46-29 and 44-31, respectively.

HAVING FUN WITH MULTIPLE HOME RUNS

Arkansas is 62-8 all-time when a Razorback player hits multiple home runs in a single game, including a 47-3 mark in the Courtney Deifel era.

The Razorbacks have won 37 of their last 38 games when having a player hit multiple home runs in a single game, dating back to Feb. 20, 2021, when Linnie Malkin started the streak by belting a solo home run and a two-run shot in a 6-4, 14-inning win at McNeese. Malkin’s two-run homer in the top of the 14th ended up accounting for the winning runs in the victory.

Active Razorbacks on the 2026 roster have accounted for 12 multi-HR games during their careers, while Arkansas is 4-0 this season when a player hits multiple HR in a single game, with Tianna Bell, Ella McDowell, Kailey Wyckoff, and Dakota Kennedy all accomplishing the feat.

Additionally, Arkansas is 170-26 under head coach Courtney Deifel when hitting 2+ home runs as a team in a game. Since 1998, the Hogs are 267-59 when hitting two or more round-trippers.

ROB IS DEALIN’

Senior LHP Robyn Herron is 15-5 this season with a 1.86 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 101.2 innings of work while limiting opposing hitters to a .173 batting average and collecting four saves. The Tampa, Fla., struck out eight batters while allowing just three hits over 6.1 innings in a 2-0 series-opening win at Texas (April 30). Her 16 10+ strikeout games are tied for the most in program history alongside Mary Haff (2018-2022). She was the seventh pitcher in program history to record 500 career strikeouts and 50 career wins. Herron threw her third career no-hitter and struck out 12 in a 6-0 win over Northwestern (Feb. 21). She ranks among the top pitchers nationally entering the week in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (12th, 4.41), saves (17th, 4), and strikeouts per seven innings (5th, 19.9). Herron’s four saves rank third in the SEC.

TURNING TWO

Arkansas ranks second nationally entering the weekend with 36 double plays this season. The Razorbacks’ 36 double plays are the most in program history. The previous single-season program record of 30 was set in 1999.

HITTIN’ HOGS

Arkansas has posted a 207-21 overall record when registering 12+ hits in a single game since 2006, including a 127-12 mark under Courtney Deifel.

The Razorbacks are 18-0 in 2026 and were 17-1 last season and posted a 9-1 record in 2024 when registering 10+ hits and have won 81 of their past 85 contests when accomplishing the feat since 2020.

IN THE RANKINGS

Arkansas ranked among the nation’s leaders in numerous categories entering the weekend including, batting average (18th, .343), runs per game (11th, 7.69), on-base percentage (12th, .444), RBI per game (11th, 7.02), slugging percentage (20th, .571), total runs (13th, 392), WHIP (11th, 1.18), team strikeouts per 7 inn. (13th, 6.91), shutouts (13th, 13) and ERA (11th, 2.57).

HISTORY IN THE TOURNAMENT

Arkansas is 16-21 all-time in SEC Tournament play, highlighted by its 2022 title.

Last season, the Razorbacks went 2-1 and reached the semifinals after defeating Georgia, 5-1 in the opener before downing Tennessee, 6-1, and falling to Oklahoma, 8-6. Bri Ellis broke the Arkansas single-season home run and RBI record with a walk-off grand slam in the win over Georgia, while Raigan Kramer smashed a grand slam in the win over Tennessee.

30 SEASONS OF RAZORBACK SOFTBALL

2026 marks the 30th season of Arkansas Softball. The Razorbacks hold an all-time program record of 922-821-1 with four head coaches in the entirety of its history.

Arkansas played its first official game in program history on Feb. 20, 1997, which was a 4-3 loss to Cal State Northridge during the San Diego State Classic. The Razorbacks rebounded later that same day with a 5-4 triumph over Hawaii to earn the first win in program history. Designated Player Lisa Flores provided the winning runs in the victory with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.