CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 18 Rogers State softball head coach Andrea Vaughan has announced the 2026 schedule.
 
RSU aims to build on its 39-15 record (16-8 MIAA) from 2025, which featured a runner-up finish at the MIAA Tournament and a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The team returns five players from last season and will welcome 15 newcomers, including nine transfers and six freshmen.
 
The Hillcats will play 26 games at the RCB Sports Complex, including two doubleheaders against ranked teams. They will also host a festival and travel to three non-conference invites.
 
The season opens Jan. 30 – Feb. 1 at the Golf Shores Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama. RSU will begin the invitational against Montevallo (Ala.) and Valdosta State (Ga.) on Friday. The following day, they will face Delta State (Miss.) and Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.), then conclude the weekend against Union (Tenn.) and Spring Hill (Ala.) on Sunday.
 
The Hillcats will host the inaugural Rogers State Festival at the RCB Sports Complex the following weekend. The two-day event will feature 10 games, starting with the Hillcats facing Upper Iowa in the home opener at 10 a.m. on Feb. 7, followed by a game against Southern Nazarene at noon. On Feb. 8, RSU will compete against Midwestern State (Texas) at 2 p.m. and Southwestern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. All games will be broadcast on the MIAA Network, with live stats available.
 
On Feb. 12-13, the Hillcats will travel to Tahlequah for the Tahlequah Softball Festival hosted by the City of Tahlequah. RSU will open the four-game invitational against Oklahoma Baptist and East Central on Thursday. They will conclude play on Friday against Southern Arkansas and Southwestern Oklahoma State. All four games are in-region contests that will be key for regional seeding in the postseason.
 
The Hillcats will return to the Top Gun Midwest College tournament on Feb. 28 - March 1 in Shawnee, Kansas. They will kick off the action with a top-25 matchup against No. 9 Augustana (S.D.). RSU claimed its first win in three meetings over Augie, 4-2, last season in Kansas City. They will also face Maryville (Mo.), Minnesota Duluth and Truman State (Mo.).
 
Before heading to Shawnee, the Hillcats will host doubleheaders against No. 25 Oklahoma Christian on Feb. 17 and Missouri S&T on Feb. 25. Additionally, the Cats will host Texas Woman's on March 10 and Harding (Ark.) on April 14.
 
RSU will travel to Russellville, Arkansas, to take on Arkansas Tech on April 21 and Ouachita Baptist on April 22 – both in-region programs. Non-conference play will conclude against Drury (Mo.) on April 29 in Springfield, Missouri. Each day will feature a doubleheader.
 
MIAA play will open on the road against Emporia State (Kan.) in Emporia, Kansas, on March 13, followed by a doubleheader against Washburn (Kan.) in Topeka, Kansas, the next day. RSU will also travel to Pittsburg, Kansas, to face the Pitt State Gorillas on April 3 and to Warrensburg, Missouri, to take on the UCM Jennies on April 4. MIAA road play will conclude against No. 24 Missouri Southern in Joplin, Missouri, on April 18.
 
The opening weekend of MIAA home play is set for March 20 against Northwest Missouri State and March 21 against Missouri Western. Additional home conference doubleheaders include matchups against in-state foe No. 11 Central Oklahoma (March 27), Newman (March 28), Nebraska-Kearney (April 10), Fort Hays State (April 11) and rival Northeastern State (May 2), which will also serve as Senior Day.
 
Postseason action will begin May 6-10 at the MIAA Tournament in Emporia, Kansas. MIAAs will be followed by the NCAA Central Region Championship on May 15-16, the NCAA Super Region Championship on May 22-23 and the NCAA World Series on May 29-30.
 
For the complete RSU softball schedule with all times, visit 2026 Softball Schedule - Rogers State University Athletics.