Jackson, Miss. — Belhaven University’s softball team was ranked second in the 2026 CCS preseason poll, announced Monday by the league office. The Blazers received 59 points and three first-place votes after winning the 2025 CCS title.
Belhaven finished last season with a 32-9 overall record and a 14-2 mark in conference play. The team’s postseason highlights included its second CCS championship and a fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.
The preseason favorite is Huntingdon College, which received 61 points and five first-place votes. Huntingdon went 38-7 overall and 15-1 in conference play last season. Piedmont University was third with 51 points and one first-place vote, followed by Maryville College and Asbury University in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Belhaven returns key players from last year’s championship squad, including first-team all-conference selections Reagan Bryan and Macy Funderburk, as well as second-team honoree Ellie Williamson. The team aims to defend its conference title in 2026.
The Blazers open the season Tuesday, Feb. 7, hosting LeTourneau in a non-conference doubleheader at home. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Conference play begins March 20. The CCS Softball Championship Tournament is set for April 29 through May 2 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.
