Four days of postseason softball in West Lafayette start today.
The 2025 Big Ten Softball Tournament begins today in West Lafayette with No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 6 Iowa at 10 a.m. CT.
Oregon, NFCA Coaches’ No. 4 ranked team in the country, earned the top seed in the tournament with a blistering 19-3 record in conference play that included a series win over the No. 2 seeded — and No. 9 ranked — Bruins.
The only other team to win a three-game series against UCLA? That would be the No. 5 seeded Northwestern Wildcats, who stunned the Bruins in their home stadium behind two wins from graduate student pitcher Lauren Boyd.
That win did wonders for Northwestern’s tournament hopes, as most bracketologists had the ‘Cats on the outside looking in before their trip to Los Angeles. Head coach Kate Drohan’s squad still likely has some work to do in Indiana to lock in a seventh straight postseason appearance.
Northwestern won’t be the only team playing under pressure this week. Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin are all firmly on the bubble, and Wisconsin and Michigan play each other in the first round.
Favorites
No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 UCLA are the only two Big Ten teams projected to host a regional and the clear favorites to leave Purdue with a Big Ten title. The Ducks won the regular season matchup 2-1 at home in a series that included run rule victories for both sides, and they should have an easier path to the championship game on paper without having to face Nebraska ace and Big Ten ERA leader Jordy Bahl. No. 4 Ohio State is a surefire tournament team a tough opponent in its own right, but the Buckeyes were uncompetitive in their previous two games against UCLA (though OSU did keep it close against No. 3 Texas in early March).
As Inside NU’s Ethan Segall laid out in his column this week, No. 6 seeded Iowa has some real giant-killing potential. The Hawkeyes split a series with UCLA in late March and scored five runs (granted, none were earned) against Nebraska’s Bahl in a win over the Cornhuskers. If Iowa wins its first round matchup against Penn State, it may not even have to face Bahl if Nebraska opts to save her for a potential clash with UCLA.
No. 7 seeded Washington also has a chance to wreak some havoc with a loaded pitching staff that includes reigning Big Ten pitcher of the week Stevie Hansen and 2.20 ERA Sophia Ramuno. Add in NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist Alexis DeBoer who is coming off a 5-for-10, two home run performance against Penn State last week, and the Huskies absolutely have a chance to make a run in this single-elimination format.
Players to watch
Two-way phenom and 2023 Women’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player Jordy Bahl is always one to watch, and it will be interesting to see how the No. 3 seeded Cornhuskers deploy their star arm having to get through both Oregon and UCLA to win the tournament.
Ohio State sophomore Jasmyn Burns is a finalist for the 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year with 22 home runs on the year and the third highest OPS in the conference. Burns knocked two home runs in one game against UCLA earlier in the season, and if the Buckeyes make a run out of the four spot, she will likely be leading the charge.
Iowa ace Jalen Adams is second in the Big Ten in innings pitched with 107, and her iron arm will be crucial if her Hawkeyes are to secure an NCAA tournament berth — or win four games in four days. She allowed one run in 2.2 IP in Iowa’s upset win over UCLA.
A bit of a homer pick here, but Northwestern’s Lauren Boyd potentially holds the tournament fate of five Big Ten teams in her left arm. Two Wildcat wins likely secure a tournament berth — and likely push at least one of Indiana or Michigan out. Boyd allowed just three runs in 13 innings against the Bruins last weekend, and her 2.33 ERA in conference is good for third in the Big Ten.
NCAA Tournament Implications
Indiana, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin are all on the bubble going into this week.
Wisconsin likely has the most work with the lowest RPI ranking of the bunch (No. 52), but the Badgers have a prime chance to add a notch on their resume with an opening game win over Michigan. However to feel any semblance of assurance going into Selection Sunday, Wisconsin would likely have to steal a game from No. 1 Oregon in the quarterfinals.
Prep Softball writer (and Medill alum) Benjamin Rosenberg has Michigan as his last team in. Today’s 3:30 p.m. CT clash is unequivocal must-win softball for both sides.
Indiana has the highest RPI rating at No. 41, but the Hoosiers will also want a first round win over tournament lock Washington to feel comfortable. Rosenberg has Indiana as his second to last team in.
Both Iowa and Northwestern are in Rosenberg’s first four out, and both teams must take care of business against No. 11 Penn State and No. 12 Purdue respectively to have any shot at going dancing. Both teams of course put themselves in much better positions with quarterfinal victories — that’s No. 3 seeded/No. 19 ranked Nebraska for Iowa, and No. 4 seeded/No. 22 ranked Ohio State for Northwestern. Losses by Indiana and Michigan in the first round wouldn’t hurt either.