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Cyclones Announce 2026 Softball Schedule
10.23.2025 | Softball
AMES, Iowa – In collaboration with the Big 12's conference slate being announced, Iowa State head softball coach Jamie Pinkerton has released the entire 2026 schedule.
"I'm looking forward to the start of the season with our non-conference that will allow us to play a competitive, balanced blend of teams that will help build our RPI and strength of schedule," says Coach Pinkerton. "I believe our non-conference slate will prepare us for the rigors of the Big 12 and the postseason."
The Cyclones are slated to compete in 56 contests, with 24 coming against Big 12 foes. The month of February will feature four tournaments before action shifts to Big 12 play in March.
ISU's 2026 campaign will begin in its home state this season at the Doc Halverson Invite in Cedar Falls, the squad's first opening weekend in Iowa since 2023. There, the Cyclones will face Omaha, Kansas City, UNI and Butler.
Next up, the Cyclones will travel to Arlington, Texas, to compete in the UT Arlington Invite. Iowa State will face Wisconsin and host-school UTA twice and will also play a fifth contest against Tulsa.
Week three will have ISU head north up I-35 to Minneapolis, where it will play in the US Bank Invite, held at the Minnesota Vikings' Stadium – US Bank Stadium. The Cyclones will face Central Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota State and Long Island twice.
Iowa State will face Long Island twice more the following weekend when it heads to Santa Barbara for the UCSB Invite. Outside of facing the Sharks, ISU will take on host school Santa Barbara three times.
Following four-straight tournaments to open the season, Iowa State will open its Big 12 slate with a three-game road trip at Baylor (3/6-8). After facing the Bears, ISU will compete in its last non-conference tournament in Columbia, Mo., where it will face Minnesota and South Dakota (3/13) before wrapping with Mizzou (3/14).
Iowa State's home-opener is scheduled for Saint Patrick's Day on March 17 when it welcomes St. Thomas to Ames for a doubleheader. The very next day, ISU will head to Omaha to take on Creighton in the teams' first meeting since 2016.
The first home Big 12 meeting for the Cyclones will come against Houston across the March 20th weekend, as the Cougars will be in Ames for the second time in the last three seasons. ISU will also then host Drake (3/25) before heading to Texas Tech to face the Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas – the only Big 12 team that ISU did not play last season.
After the trip to Tech, ISU will host UNI (3/31) before welcoming Arizona to Ames for the very first time. Iowa State's April continues in Iowa City as ISU will look to avenge last year's loss in Iowa City on April 8.
Following the first of two Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk meetings, ISU will return to the Cyclone Softball Complex to host Oklahoma State from April 10-12 before turning around to host South Dakota in a midweek contest (4/14).
Iowa State's last three conference series will see the Cyclones go to both BYU (4/16-18) and Kansas (4/24-26) before hosting UCF (5/1-3) in the last week of the regular season.
During that stretch, ISU will play its second midweek contest against the Hawkeyes (4/21) at the CSC. The Cyclones will also travel to Drake during that stint for its final road contest of the year in Des Moines (4/29).
With only eight teams making the Big 12 Tournament this year, the championship will take place over just three days (5/7-9) in Oklahoma City, Okla.
As a reminder, all admission to home contests at the Cyclone Softball Complex is free.
2026 Iowa State Schedule
Feb. 6-8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Doc Halverson Invite
Feb. 13-15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at UT Arlington Invite
Feb. 20-22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at US Bank Invite
Feb.27-March 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at UCSB Invite
March 6-8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Baylor*
March 20-22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at UCF
March 13-14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Missouri Invite
March 17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â St. Thomas (DH)
March 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Creighton
March 20-22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Houston*
March 25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Drake
March 27-29Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Texas Tech*
March 31Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNI
April 2-4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Arizona*
April 8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Iowa
April 10-12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oklahoma State*
April 14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â South Dakota
April 16-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at BYU*
April 21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Iowa
April 24-26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas*
April 29Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Drake
May 1-3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UCF*
May 7-9 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Big 12 Championship
* = Big 12 competition
SB Replay 2025 B12 Semifinal ISU vs Arizona
Monday, May 12
SB Replay 2025 B12 Quarterfinal ISU vs BYU
Monday, May 12
SB Highlights vs. BYU (Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals)
Friday, May 09
SB Replay Baylor at ISU 2025 Gm3
Tuesday, May 06
