ROME, Ga.  The USA South Athletic Conference office released its 2026 softball preseason poll on Thursday, with Methodist receiving a total of 40 points and earning a sixth-place tie in the voting. Votes are cast by the league's head coaches, who cannot vote for their own team in the balloting.
 
This year's poll suggests that coaches expect Pfeiffer University to earn its fourth consecutive conference championship, with the Falcons garnering nine of the first-place votes and 81 points overall. In second, North Carolina Wesleyan collected 68 total points, while Meredith College rounded out the top three with 64 points and the final first-place prediction.
 
With 58 points, Greensboro College captured fourth place in the poll, followed by William Peace University with 44 points in fifth. Tied with the Monarchs for sixth place with 40 points was Southern Virginia University.
 
Mary Baldwin University's 28 points were enough for eighth place, while Brevard College finished in ninth with 17 points and Salem College took the final spot with 10 points.
 
The 2026 USA South Softball Tournament will occur exclusively on sites, with the top eight teams in the conference standings earning a spot in the tournament bracket. Postseason play will begin with two, four-team, double-elimination tournaments occurring from Thursday, April 30 through Saturday, May 2. The two winners who emerge from the first weekend of play will compete in a best-of-three championship series on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9.