ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – Cal Lutheran University softball has been selected fifth in the 2026 SCIAC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches and announced by the conference on Friday.

The Regals totaled 30 points in the poll following a resurgent 2025 campaign under head coach Kecia Davis, who returned to the helm for her first season back as head coach since 1998. Cal Lu finished the year with an 18-15 overall record and a 9-11 mark in SCIAC play, posting its highest single-season win total since 2015.

Despite narrowly missing the SCIAC Tournament, the season marked a significant step forward for the program and laid the foundation for continued growth entering 2026. The Regals return a strong core highlighted by First Team All-SCIAC selection Danielle Diaz, two-time Second Team honoree Jessica Waters, and former First Team pick Nadia Collins.

Defending conference champion Redlands was a unanimous choice atop the poll, collecting all eight first-place votes after advancing to the Division III Women's College World Series last spring. Chapman and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps tied for second with 51 points apiece, followed by Pomona-Pitzer in fourth with 41 points.

Cal Lutheran opened the 2026 season on Friday with an exhibition contest against Moorpark College and will face its first official opponent at La Sierra on Monday, February 9, before opening SCIAC play on the road at Chapman the following Saturday.