Raiders Set to Open FCSAA Championship Against No. 7 Seed Chipola
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) has announced the bracket for the 2026 FCSAA Division I Softball Championship, with Northwest Florida earning the No. 2 seed for the third consecutive season. The Raiders will open tournament play against No. 7 seed Chipola on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. (CDT) in Clearwater, Florida.
Northwest Florida enters the tournament after a dominant regular season, posting a 52-4 overall record and an 18-2 mark in Panhandle Conference play. The Raiders have won 21 of their last 22 games and continue to rank among the nation's elite, sitting inside the top 10 nationally in 14 statistical categories, including top-five rankings in eight categories. Northwest Florida also leads the nation in both runs scored and RBIs.
The Raiders went 5-1 against Chipola during the regular season, with the Indians' lone victory coming in the second game of a doubleheader in Niceville on April 11, a 6-2 decision. Chipola enters postseason play with momentum of its own, going 8-2 over its last 10 games to secure a second-place finish in Panhandle Conference standings.
Northwest Florida will be chasing its first FCSAA Championship title in program history while also looking to secure a fourth consecutive trip to the NJCAA Softball World Series, where the Raiders hope to defend their national championship.
The FCSAA Championship features a double-elimination format, with both the tournament champion and runner-up earning automatic bids to the NJCAA Softball World Series.
The winner of Wednesday's opening matchup will advance to Friday's semifinal round at 4:00 p.m. (CDT) to face the winner of No. 3 seed Santa Fe and No. 6 seed Miami Dade.