Cabell MidlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s softball team cheers during the WVSSAC Class AAAA state tournament championship game against Jefferson on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Little Creek Park in South Charleston.
Cabell MidlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s softball team cheers during the WVSSAC Class AAAA state tournament championship game against Jefferson on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Little Creek Park in South Charleston.
That will be the case with the WVSSAC state softball tournament in 2026.
The WVSSAC Board of Directors on Monday approved the expansion of the field, doubling the number of participants.
The tournament will expand to eight teams in each class and retain a double-elimination format. Up to 60 games will be played to decide the champions.
The dates for the 2026 softball event at South CharlestonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Little Creek Park will be May 27-29 for Class A and AA. Class AAA and AAAA will be played from June 2-4.
Member high schools were presented with three choices ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” keep the current four-team, double-elimination format, adopt an eight-team single-elimination tournament or implement an eight-team double-elimination event. Option three won.
Cabell Midland defeated Jefferson to win the 2025 Class AAAA state title. Winfield edged Frankfort in Class AAA. Oak Glen knocked off Petersburg in the Class AA championship. Pendleton County topped Wahama in the Class A final.
The softball tournament follows baseball in expanding. The board voted three months ago to move from four teams to eight at that tournament, long played in Charleston.
The winner of bids for the rights to serve as host for the 2026 baseball tournament are to be announced in September.
The state baseball tournament is scheduled to take place June 6-13.
