Indianapolis, IN | Virginia Beach, VA - Newly minted, reigning, and defending four-time CUNY Athletic Conference softball champions, the John Jay softball team, will head to Virginia Beach, VA, for regional play in the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Championship beginning Thursday, May 14. The Bloodhounds (18-20) will take on top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan (45-0) for the second time in regional play on Thursday, after squaring off against the Marlins in 2023.
 

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The other regional feature Pfeiffer (38-9) and Manhattanville (35-8).  The Bloodhounds faced Pfeiffer back in 2024 in Newport News, VA, falling 8-0. This season, John Jay defeated the Skyline Conference champion Valiants, 7-5, in extra innings on April 8.

John Jay clinched their fourth consecutive CUNYAC title after defeating Brooklyn College, 9-1, in the championship finale this past Friday. Junior pitcher Lindsay Ogden was named Championship MVP for the third straight season as she went 2-0 with 16 strikeouts in 11 innings of work.
Virginia Wesleyan finished as national runners-up last season and is 45-0. The Marlins claimed the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament title with a 1-0 and 12-2 wins over Bridgewater.

Pfeiffer, the USA South Athletic Conference champions, bested NC Wesleyan, 14-0 and 6-4 to win their fourth straight league championship, while the Valiants posted a 9-6 triumph over Farmingdale State.

Following completion of Thursday's games, the losers will meet in the first elimination game on Friday, while the winners will match up 50 minutes following the conclusion of that game, with the winner advancing to Saturday's regional final.

Friday's action concludes with a second elimination game between the winner of the day's first contest and the loser of the day's second game. That winner advances to Saturday's final and would need to win twice to advance to the super regionals the following weekend.