POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (May 5, 2026) – The 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Softball Championship gets underway this week from Wednesday through Saturday, May 6-9 at Gartland Field in Poughkeepsie, NY, hosted by Marist University.
 
The six-team field features top-seeded regular season champion Marist University, followed by No. 2 Fairfield University, No. 3 Iona University, No. 4 Sacred Heart University, No. 5 Quinnipiac University, and No. 6 Siena University. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
Marist enters the postseason as the regular season champion, aiming for its sixth MAAC title and second consecutive crown. The Red Foxes earned a first-round bye after an impressive 24–3 mark in conference play, highlighted by four series sweeps.
 
Fairfield, the No. 2 seed, finished 19–7 in MAAC play and is seeking its fourth conference title, and first since 2017. The Stags are also making their 14th postseason appearance since 2008. Both Marist and Fairfield receive first-round byes and will face the winners of Wednesday’s opening games on Thursday.
 
 
No. 3 Iona (24-24, 18-10 MAAC) vs No. 6 Siena (25-20, 15-12 MAAC)
Gartland Field | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | 10:00AM | ESPN+
 
The opening game of the championship will feature No. 3 Iona taking on No. 6 Siena at 10:00 AM on Wednesday morning. The two teams met earlier this season in New Rochelle, NY, where Iona claimed the series 2–1.
Iona enters the championship making its 15th MAAC Championship appearance since 2008 and has now qualified for eight straight tournaments. The Gaels are in pursuit of their seventh MAAC Softball title. Siena, meanwhile, is aiming for its second conference championship and is making its eighth consecutive postseason appearance and 11th overall since 2008.
The winner will advance to face No. 2 Fairfield at 10:00 AM on Thursday, May 7. The losing team will play again later that day at 3:00 PM in an elimination game.

No. 4 Sacred Heart (22-29, 16-11 MAAC) vs No. 5 Quinnipiac (21-19, 16-12 MAAC)
Gartland Field | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | 12:30PM | ESPN+
 
The second game of the day features No. 4 Sacred Heart taking on No. 5 Quinnipiac at 12:30 PM on Wednesday afternoon. The two teams closed out the regular season in Hamden, CT, where Sacred Heart claimed the series 2–1.
Since joining the MAAC in 2024, Sacred Heart is seeking its first conference championship while making its second consecutive postseason berth. Quinnipiac is also in pursuit of its first MAAC Softball title, marking its second straight qualification and its third ever, also making it back in 2016.
The winner will advance to face regular season champion Marist at 12:30 PM on Thursday. The losing team will play the losing team of the opening game later on Wednesday in an elimination matchup.
The losing teams from games one and two will meet in a double-elimination matchup.
 
The 2026 MAAC Softball Championship is a six-team, double-elimination championship taking place from Wednesday, May 6 through Saturday, May 9, 2026. All rounds will be hosted by No. 1 Marist University. For all information regarding the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship, please visit maacsports.com/softball.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
 
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