Virginia Earns Two Seed In Columbia Regional

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 25 Virginia softball team (37-17) earned its second straight NCAA Tournament berth and will be the two seed in the Columbia Regional hosted by South Carolina it was announced on Sunday (May 11) as part of the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN.

The Cavaliers will face third seeded and ASUN Champions North Florida in the opening game on Friday (May 16). The winner of that game will advance to face the region’s top seed South Carolina or Elon. The Gamecocks are the No. 8 overall seed in the tournament. The regional tournament format is double elimination.

Both opening-day games will be streamed on ESPN+.

The winner of the Columbia Regional will advance to face the winner of the Los Angeles Regional hosted by No. 9 overall seed UCLA. Teams participating in the Los Angeles Regional are: UCLA, Arizona State, San Diego State and UC Santa Barbara.

COLUMBIA REGIONAL MATCHUPS
Friday, May 16
Virginia vs. North Florida – 3 p.m.
South Carolina vs. Elon – 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 17
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 1 p.m.
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 3:30 p.m.

NOTING THE HOOS
• Virginia earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the second straight season and third time in program history.
• The Cavaliers advanced to the regional championship game last season in the Knoxville Regional where Virginia faced No. 3 overall seed Tennessee.
• The Cavaliers finished seventh in the ACC standings and are one of nine ACC teams to advance earn an NCAA Tournament bid this season.
• The Cavaliers had three players earn All-ACC honors with Eden Bigham and Jade Hylton named to the first team and Macee Eaton named to the second team.
• The Cavaliers hit the 30-win mark for the third straight season and the 37 wins is tied for sixth most in a season in program history – passing last year’s win total of 34 games.
• Virginia opened the 2025 season at South Carolina in the Gamecock Invitational.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“It is an honor to be playing at this point of the season. Only 20 percent of NCAA Softball teams get to play at this point in the year and we’re one of them. That’s something we take seriously and are grateful for. This team has played hard and earned this. It’s really cool to have another historic season under our belts.

“North Florida won their regular season and conference tournament. They’re going to be really tough. They’ve got a great arm in Allison Benning and she’s also hit like 19 home runs. It’s their first NCAA Tournament and they’re going to be ready and hungry. We’re going to have to match that energy and competitiveness. It’s going to be a dog fight, but that’s postseason softball.”