After winning the program’s first Big 12 regular season and tournament championships in one fell swoop, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are set to host the Lubbock Regional in the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament this weekend.
The Red Raiders (45-12) are coming off one of the most dominant performances in Big 12 Tournament history, holding all three of their opponents scoreless and outscoring the lot by a combined total of 26-0.
As the No. 12 seed in the bracket, Texas Tech will host Mississippi State (37-17), Washington (34-17), and Brown (33-15) in a double-elimination four-team pod.
Here’s an overhead view of what each team brings to the field.
Bracket Breakdown: Lubbock Regional
| Team | Conf. | Record | RPI | SOS | ERA | OBP | FLD% | Runs/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (12) Texas Tech | Big 12 | 45–12 | 18 | 43 | 1.87 | .401 | .972 | 6.3 |
| Mississippi State | SEC | 37–17 | 22 | 23 | 3.40 | .410 | .971 | 6.4 |
| Washington | Big Ten | 34–17 | 38 | 40 | 2.83 | .370 | .970 | 5.5 |
| Brown | Ivy League | 33–15 | 121 | 231 | 2.77 | .340 | .965 | 4.2 |
The Favorite: Texas Tech
After putting together the kind of season that they did in 2025, it would be incredibly shocking to see Texas Tech bow out of the tournament in a first-round exit. NiJaree Canady (0.81 ERA) leads in the circle for a Texas Tech squad that ranks third nationally in ERA (1.87), and the defense behind her is strong, too, ranking 38th nationally in fielding percentage (.972). On top of that, the Red Raiders are 30th nationally in scoring, averaging just under 6.5 runs per game.
The Contender: Mississippi State
If there’s a team that can upset the apple cart in Lubbock, it’s the Bulldogs. They bring plenty of experience against Top 25 teams, with 11 Quad 1 wins on the year and the 23rd-ranked strength of schedule. Additionally, they are comparable to the Red Raiders offensively, and they play the field well, too. The biggest difference between these two is in the circle. Mississippi State’s top arm is Raelin Chaffin, who’s thrown 171.2 innings and ranked 135th nationally with a 2.65 ERA.
The Dark Horse: Washington
Washington is on the verge of softball royalty, but this year’s squad isn’t quite up to the standard that most fans are used to seeing. The Huskies put together a 12-9 record in Big Ten play and struggled against tournament teams, going 4-14 on the year. There’s talent on the roster, led by outstanding freshman Alexis Deboer, but it feels like it might be a year to early to consider this team a real threat. However, if they get hot, anything can happen.
Regional X-Factor: NiJaree Canady, RHP, Texas Tech
Canady is the most polarizing name in college softball for a reason, and her ability to control an entire weekend from the circle is perhaps the biggest trump card that any team has at their disposal this postseason. The junior leads the country in ERA (0.81), ranks fourth in strikeouts (263), and leads a Texas Tech team that ranks first nationally with a 0.97 WHIP.
Lubbock Regional Schedule
Lubbock, Texas
Friday, May 16
Game 1: Brown vs. No. 12 Texas Tech | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 2: Washington vs. Mississippi State | 8 p.m. | ESPN2
Saturday, May 17
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | 2 p.m. | TV TBD
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 4:30 p.m. | TV TBD
Loser eliminated
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 7 p.m. | TV TBD
Loser eliminated
Sunday, May 18
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 | 3 p.m. | TV TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD | 5:30 p.m. | TV TBD
The winner of the Lubbock Regional will advance to play the winner of the Tallahassee Regional, hosted by No. 5 seed Florida State.
Prediction: Texas Tech Advances, 3-0
If we see NiJaree Canady on Friday, it won’t be for long, and because of that, the Red Raiders will have their ace ready to roll on Saturday and Sunday for whoever prevails out of the elimination games. A fresh Canady leads the Red Raiders past Mississippi State on Saturday and again on Sunday to advance to the program’s first Super Regional appearance.
