Florida Softball: Gators with ideal draw for the NCAA Tournament

Heading into the SEC Tournament, it felt like Florida Softball still had work to do if it wanted to secure a top eight national seed for the NCAA Tournament to give the Gators the inside track for hosting a Super Regional.

Three victories later, Florida made the top eight with room to spare and have to like their pathway to return to Oklahoma City.

Florida Softball: Back Where They Belong

For the past two seasons, the road to Oklahoma City didn't have to run through Gainesville. In 2022, Florida had to go on the road for Super Regionals and last season Florida didn't even make it out of Regionals.

So, for the first time in three years, Florida earned a top eight national seed when the number four popped up next to their name during the selection show last night

With South Alabama, Florida Atlantic, and Florida Gulf Coast in their region, the Gators have to feel confident about their ability to move on to host Super Regionals. The Gators beat Florida Gulf Coast earlier this year 9-0 in five innings. Florida Atlantic, the three seed in this region, has an RPI of 41 and had a 3-6 record against Quad 1 opponents and eight losses this season against Quad 2 opponents.

Florida was 24-11 against Quad 1 and had just one loss against a Quad 2 opponent.

The two seed South Alabama did pick up some solid wins early in the season against South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. But with an RPI of 35 and a .500 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents combined, the Jaguars are one of the weaker two seeds in the tournament.

The region that feeds into Florida for a potential Super Regional is also one of the better options the Gators could have picked as Louisiana earned the 13 seed nationally.

If the Rajin Cajuns are the ones to advance from this region over surrounding options Arkansas, Alabama, and FSU.

With a RPI of 12 and the country's number one ranked non-conference strength of schedule, Louisiana shouldn't be taken lightly. But they too had a losing record against Quad 1 opponents and were 1-3 against the SEC this season.

Regionals get underway this Friday and are in a double elimination format.