The HFU Softball Team has been selected fourth in the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Preseason Coaches Poll, the league offices announced on Wednesday. 
 
The Tigers return 14 student-athletes from the 2025 team, whose 19 overall victories were the program's most sine 2017. 
 
The 2026 CACC softball campaign features each of the 10 teams playing each other in a doubleheader. 
 
The top eight teams in the regular season standings qualify for the CACC Tournament, which commences with a best-of-three first round series hosted by higher seeds on May 2-3. 
 
The winners of those four series advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket, which will be hosted by Georgian Court from May 7-9. 
 
Holy Family has qualified for the CACC Tournament in each of the previous five seasons. 
 
Defending CACC Tournament champion Wilmington was the near-unanimous preseason favorite, receiving eight of a possible nine first-place votes. 
 
Defending regular season champion Bridgeport came in second, followed by Jefferson, who garnered one top vote. 
 
Sixth place Goldey-Beacom, who joined Wilmington and Bridgeport in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, earned the other.
 
In-between Holy Family and Goldey-Beacom in fifth was Caldwell. 
 
The Tigers begin their 2026 campaign on February 7, hosting Lincoln for a 12 p.m. doubleheader at Bensalem High School. 
 
2026 CACC SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wilmington (8 first-place votes) - 80 points
2. Bridgeport - 66
3. Jefferson (1) - 59
4. Holy Family - 56
5. Caldwell - 52
6. Goldey-Beacom (1) - 49
7. Felician - 36
8. Dominican - 22
9. Chestnut Hill – 17
10. Post - 13