WASHINGTON – Loyola Chicago earned its first Atlantic 10 softball regular season title in program history, finishing with a 18-6 record in league play to capture the No. 1 seed for the upcoming 2026 Betterment Atlantic 10 Softball Championship. The double-elimination tournament begins Wednesday, May 6 at Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, Mo.

The Ramblers, who were picked to finish sixth in the A-10 Preseason Poll, won six of their eight series against conference opponents – including four sweeps. Loyola Chicago owns a 26-22 overall record, fueled by a dominant pitching staff. The Ramblers have amassed a 2.68 ERA in conference play, headlined by freshman Anna Kiel’s 2.80 ERA and three complete games. The Ramblers earned a first-round bye, and will take the field on Thursday, May 7 at 12 p.m. CT.

Reigning A-10 champion Saint Louis will look to defend its crown as the No. 2 seed, attempting to become the league’s first back-to-back champion since 2021. The Billikens (23-26, 13-10) enter the postseason on a hot streak, winning their final four conference games of the regular season. Saint Louis will begin its title defense on Thursday, May 7 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Dayton received the No. 3 seed with a 13-11 conference record, securing the tiebreaker over Fordham and Saint Joseph’s with head-to-head series wins against both. Elite pitching fueled the Flyers (24-22), led by senior right hander Izzy Kemp’s league-best 257 strikeouts and 1.96 ERA. Dayton also boasts powerful bats, leading the conference with 31 home runs this season. The Flyers will battle No. 6 seed George Washington (23-20, 12-12) in the first round at 2:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 6.

Fordham earned the No. 4 seed with a 13-11 conference record, sporting an 23-26 overall mark. The Rams possess one of the strongest offenses in the A-10, leading the league with a .291 batting average – and a .327 average in conference games. The Rams’ 399 hits lead the conference by a large margin, with George Washington (353) totaling the second-most. Fordham will open the postseason against No. 5 seed Saint Joseph’s (24-23, 13-11) at 12 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 6.

The championship final will take place on Saturday, May 9 featuring the winners of game seven and game nine. If necessary, a winner-take-all game will occur at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, pending the result of the first game of the day.

Tickets for the 2026 Betterment Atlantic 10 Softball Championship can be purchased online here.