Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
 
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – For the second time in the last four seasons, the top four softball teams in the Midwest Conference will descend on Jacksonville, Illinois for the 2026 Midwest Conference Softball Tournament this upcoming weekend (May 8-9).
 
Tournament action opens on Friday with four games. No. 2 Lake Forest College will face No. 3 Ripon College in the opener, followed by No. 1 Illinois College taking on No. 4 Cornell College at noon. The losing teams will meet in an elimination game at 2:00 p.m., and the winners will square off at 4:00 p.m.
 
Saturday begins with an elimination game at 10:00 a.m., followed by the championship game at noon. If necessary, a second championship game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
 
The tournament champion will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
 
Illinois College (30-10, 15-1 MWC) is appearing in the MWC Tournament for the 10th consecutive season. Setting a new school record in single season wins, IC is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022 (and third time in school history).
 
Lake Forest College (22-12, 12-4 MWC) has qualified for the league’s culminating event in each season dating back to 2000. The Foresters are aiming for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, and with another MWC Tournament crown this weekend, would head to the NCAAs for the 12th time.
 
Ripon College (25-11, 12-4 MWC) is making its first appearance in the MWC Softball Tournament since 2011 – also the year of the Red Hawks’ last NCAA Tournament appearance. Ripon is looking for its third NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
 
Cornell College (23-16, 10-6 MWC) returns to the MWC Softball Tournament after a one-year hiatus, its third appearance in the last four seasons. The Rams are searching for their third NCAA Tournament bid as a member of the Midwest Conference (and first since 2018).
 
For updates throughout the weekend, visit the 2026 MWC Softball Tournament page.
 
The full tournament schedule is listed below.
 
Friday, May 8

Game 1	10:00 a.m.	No. 2 Lake Forest College vs. No. 3 Ripon College
Game 2	12:00 p.m.	No. 1 Illinois College vs. No. 4 Cornell College
Game 3	2:00 p.m.	Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 4	4:00 p.m.	Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Saturday, May 9

Game 5	10:00 a.m.	Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 6	12:00 p.m.	Championship -- Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7	2:00 p.m.	2nd Championship Game (if necessary)