• Believe it or not, the 49 games Virginia Wesleyan won in 2009 is the third-most in program history, continuing an 18-year run (since 2008) where the Marlins have not won fewer than 27 games save for the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
• Randolph-Macon joined VWU in the 40-win club, tying the program-record with 42 victories and marking the third time a Yellow Jackets' team won 40 or more outings.
• Five teams won more than 20 games with VWU and RMC joined by Bridgewater (29), Lynchburg (26), and Roanoke (22).
• The Marlins commanded the top seed in the ODAC Tournament after going 21-1 in conference play. VWU was followed by (in order) Bridgewater, Randolph-Macon, Lynchburg, Shenandoah, Ferrum, Roanoke, and Averett in the 8-team field.
• Opening Weekend Pod Play at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex
  • Pod 1 on Field 1: VWU, LYN, SU, AU
    • Game 1: VWU def. AU, 9-1
    • Game 2: LYN def. SU, 11-5
    • Game 3: AU def. SU, 13-12
    • Game 4: VWU def. LYN, 2-1
    • Game 5: LYN def. AU, 14-0
    • Game 6: VWU def. LYN, 6-0
  • Pod 2 on Field 3: BC, RMC, FC, RC
    • Game 1: RC def. BC, 6-4
    • Game 2: RMC def. FC, 6-1
    • Game 3: BC def. FC, 2-0
    • Game 4: RMC def. RC, 3-0
    • Game 5: RC def. BC, 2-1
    • Game 6: RMC def. RC, 2-1
• Virginia Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon both went 3-0 in pod play to advance to the best-of-3 championship series via the minimum number of contests.
• Championship Series at VWU
  • Game 1: VWU def. RMC, 3-2
  • Game 2: VWU def. RMC, 7-1
• The Marlins lifted their league-record 16th ODAC softball trophy. It was their second straight title and eighth championship in the last nine conference tournaments dating back to 2016.

• ODAC champion Virginia Wesleyan was joined in the Division III bracket of 64 teams as an at-large selection by NPI ranking.
• VWU and RMC made ODAC history with both advance beyond region and super regional play to qualify for and win games at the championship series of the final eight teams in Division III hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University.
• Regional Competition (double-elimination)
  • 4-Team Pod hosted by Virginia Wesleyan
    • Game 1: VWU def. Western New England, 11-1
    • Game 2: Swarthmore def. Messiah, 6-2
    • Game 3: VWU def. Swarthmore, 5-1
    • Game 4: Messiah def. Western New England, 6-2
    • Game 5: Messiah def. Swarthmore, 1-0
    • Game 6: VWU def. Messiah, 12-4
  • 4-Team Pod at Christopher Newport
    • Game 1: CNU def. Farmingdale State, 12-0
    • Game 2: RMC def. Alfred, 3-2
    • Game 3: RMC def. CNU, 4-3
    • Game 4: Alfred def. Farmingdale State, 6-5
    • Game 5: CNU def. Alfred, 8-3
    • Game 6: RMC def. CNU, 6-2
• Super Regional Competition (best-of-3)
  • at Virginia Wesleyan
    • Game 1: VWU def. Gettysburg, 8-0
    • Game 2: VWU def. Gettysburg, 10-1
  • at Moravian University
    • Game 1: RMC def. Moravian, 5-0
    • Game 2: Moravian def. RMC, 10-5
    • Game 3: RMC def. Moravian, 1-0
• Both Virginia Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon featured in Bracket 1 (of 2) for the double-elimination portion of play at the finals site
  • Bracket Play (double-elimination)
    • Game 1: VWU def. RMC, 8-0
    • Game 2: Linfield def. Saint Mary's (Minn.), 11-3
    • Game 3: VWU def. Linfield, 8-4
    • Game 4: RMC def. Saint Mary's, 6-3
    • Game 5: RMC def. Rowan (crossover game), 1-0
    • Game 6: RMC def. VWU, 6-2
    • Game 7: VWU def. RMC, 3-1
• Virginia Wesleyan's second win over RMC advanced the Marlins to the best-of-3 final series against Trine University.
  • Game 1: Trine def. VWU, 8-1
  • Game 2: Trine def. VWU, 3-1
• The Marlins added their first national runner-up finish to national titles won in 2017, 2018, and 2021.
• Randolph-Macon is now 28-19 (.560) in eight appearances on the national stage, while Virginia Wesleyan is 59-20 (.750) in 15 appearances.

• NFCA/GOROUT DIVISION III TOP-25 PRESEASON COACHES POLL: the NFCA and new title sponsor GoRout release the annual top-25 preseason poll on Tuesday, February 3.
  • The top-two teams at the end of 2025 open 2026 in those same positions with Trine (250 pts.) and Virginia Wesleyan (240) slotted first and second with the Thunder earning all 10 first place votes.
  • Randolph-Macon (190 pts.) is stationed seventh as the only other ODAC squad in the table.

For the second straight year, a majority of the previous season's all-conference award winners return to league rosters with 26-of-40 honorees back in 2026. That list includes eight members of the All-ODAC First Team, nine All-ODAC Second Team selections, and seven All-ODAC Third Team choices.

Reigning ODAC Coach of the Year Megan Pleskovic boasts the most returners with 7-of-8 all-league Eagles back at Bridgewater. Virginia Wesleyan features 5-of-8 all-conference stars including ODAC Player of the Year Laci Campbell (2B) and ODAC Rookie of the Year Morgan Tucker (1B).

Randolph-Macon welcomes back 4-of-9 All-ODAC standouts.

• All-ODAC First Team Returners (8)
  • Mackenzie Cauthorn (P), BC
  • Morgan Tucker (1B), VWU
  • Laci Campbell (2B), VWU
  • Sarah Watts (SS), LYN
  • Carson Bradsher (OF), AU
  • Sarah Prosser (OF), VWU
  • Kalissa Williams (DP), GC
  • Rylee Humble (UT), RAND
• All-ODAC Second Team Returners (9)
  • Hannah Hearl (P), VWU
  • Olivia Knight (C), VWU
  • Meaghan Dean (1B), EMU
  • Tori Powell (2B), RMC
  • Andrea Savage (3B), BC
  • McKenna Mueller (SS), BC
  • Kaelyn Ramsey (OF), BC
  • Carsyn Michaels (OF), RC
  • Caroline Malandra (UT), BC
• All-ODAC Third Team Returners (7)
  • Evelyn Rhoads (P), BC
  • Courtney Guthrie (P), RMC
  • Lexi Schaaf (C), BC
  • Reagan Hill (1B), RMC
  • Charlotte Boswell (3B), RMC
  • Mackenzie Newcomb (SS), AU
  • Shiloh Gray (UT), GC

The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for major statistical categories from the 2025 season.
Batting Minimums: 2.5 plate appearances per game and played in 75% of team games
Pitching Minimums: 1.0 innings pitched per team game

Below are the win-loss records for each coach entering the 2026 spring campaign.

• The ODAC will feature 11 competing squads following the departure of Ferrum College for Division II following last season.
• All teams will feature a 20-game conference schedule, facing all 10 other teams in a doubleheader format; each team can compete in a maximum of 20 non-conference games to reach 40, the maximum set by Division III.
• The first regular season games are slated for Wednesday, February 11 featuring Sweet Briar with Roanoke and Averett active the weekend of February 14-15.
• The first ODAC games of the schedule pit Bridgewater at Sweet Briar and Roanoke at EMU on Saturday, March 14. 
• The two weekend ODAC tournament format will continue with double-elimination pod play in the first round at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem.
  • Friday-Sunday, May 1-3 | Double-Elimination Pod Play at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
    • Seeds 1-4-5-8 will play on Field 1
    • Seeds 2-3-6-7 will play on Field 3
• The two advancing teams from Salem will play in a best-of-3 series for the ODAC title on the campus of the highest seed Thursday-Saturday, May 7-9
  • The best-of-3 series will be competed on two consecutive days - one game on day one, one plus “if necessary” game on day two.
  • Once the two teams are determined, graduation and exam schedules will be consulted to determine the two best days in this range to conduct the series.
• All of Division III will narrow their gaze on Salem in late May as the Division III Softball Championship final eight returns to the Moyer Complex for the 15th time since 1994. Competition is slated for May 28 - June 3.