Clearwater, FL.- Breaking News: Florida Atlantic Softball has been invited to the 2026 Clearwater Invitational, hosted by Shriners Children’s Hospital.
The Owls, fresh off a 40+ win season in 2024, including an American Athletic Conference regular season championship and a NCAA Tournament bid have been a fan favorite amongst the softball faithful. FAU has started off red hot, standing at 9-2 after securing huge wins against power opponents during the first two weeks of the season.
One thing is clear, Florida Atlantic softball can and will compete against the best of the best. The Lady Owls will be put to the test in early 2026, facing off against a loaded ranked Clearwater field. Teams also receiving invitations to Clearwater include:
Duke
Florida State
Georgia
James Madison
LSU
Missouri
NC State
Nebraska
Northwestern
Oklahoma State
Tennessee
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
UCF
UCLA
The 2026 Shriners Children's @ClearwaterInv presented by EvoShield field is set!
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 17, 2025
#NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/JBUPlkQmeC
Of this sixteen team field, twelve programs were ranked in the 2025 Pre Season Top 25. Two weeks into the 2025 season, twelve teams in this field still stand in the Top 25, with five boasting Top 10 seeds.
Florida Atlantic will face off against this four day gauntlet from February 12-15, 2026.
Owls’ Head Coach Jordan Clark was more than enthusiastic upon receiving the invitation:
“It is a prestigious honor to be invited to the Clearwater invitational tournament.” Clark eagerly stated. “This tournament is nationally broadcasted on all ESPN channels and gives our team a chance to showcase the team and brand on the national stage. The competition and teams are all World Series talent ranked in the top 25 and we are excited for the opportunity to join the field next year.”
