The 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament bracket has officially been unveiled. Now, let’s rank each regional by average RPI.
RPI, of course, is one of the leading metrics used by the selection committee to put together the Field of 64. When looking through the bracket, there are some surprises. The best RPI teams that missed the NCAA Tournament are Mercer (No. 28) and Pittsburgh (No. 39).
The difference in RPI across different regionals is pretty substantial. The lowest average comes in at 37.75, with the highest being 82.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament gets underway on Friday. The winners will advance to Super Regionals the following weekend.
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1. Lawrence Regional
1. Kansas (RPI 19)
2. Arkansas (21)
3. Missouri State (23)
4. Northeastern (88)
Average RPI: 37.75
Kansas won the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament titles, but got a pretty tough draw. The Jayhawks are the worst RPI team among hosts at No. 19, and have a team in Arkansas that many felt should have hosted themselves at RPI No. 21. Missouri State is also the best RPI team among 3-seeds at No. 23, while Northeastern is the second-best RPI team among 4-seeds.
2. Hattiesburg Regional
1. Southern Miss (12)
2. Virginia (26)
3. Jacksonville State (25)
4. Little Rock (89)
Average RPI: 38
Southern Miss gets the second-toughest draw by RPI. The regular season and Sun Belt Tournament champions come in at No. 12 themselves, and get two top 26 RPI teams as their 2nd and 3rd seeds in Hattiesburg. Little Rock is the third-best RPI team among 4-seeds.
3. College Station Regional
1. Texas A&M (14)
2. USC (9)
3. Texas State (43)
4. Lamar (90)
Average RPI: 39
Texas A&M is the No. 12 overall seed, but College Station is the third-toughest field by RPI. The Aggies are No. 14, while USC is the toughest 2-seed at RPI No. 9. Texas State was one of the last four teams in the NCAA Tournament, and they come in at No. 43 in RPI. Lamar is the fourth-best 4-seed in RPI.
4. Chapel Hill Regional
1. North Carolina (4)
2. Tennessee (31)
3. East Carolina (40)
4. VCU (82)
Average RPI: 39.25
North Carolina is the No. 5 overall seed, but that didn’t stop Chapel Hill from being one of the toughest regionals. UNC is at No. 4, while Tennessee comes in at No. 31 and East Carolina is No. 40. VCU is the best RPI team among 4-seeds. Certainly not an easy draw for UNC, at least not based on RPI.
5. Morgantown Regional
1. West Virginia (17)
2. Wake Forest (20)
3. Kentucky (37)
4. Binghamton (118)
Average RPI: 48
West Virginia was the 16th and final host in the bracket, and they get the fifth-toughest draw in terms of RPI. The Mountaineers are No. 17 themselves, have 2-seed Wake Forest at No. 20 and 3-seed Kentucky at No. 37. Kentucky being in the tournament was the most controversial part of this bracket, but their RPI makes this one of the tougher fields in the tournament.
6. Gainesville Regional
1. Florida (11)
2. Miami (30)
3. Troy (35)
4. Rider (119)
Average RPI: 48.75
Florida is the No. 8 overall seed and No. 11 in RPI. This is a sneaky fun field that includes 2-seed Miami (No. 30 in RPI) and 3-seed Troy (No. 35 in RPI). Troy was one of the last teams in the field, but that’s still three top-35 RPI teams in addition to Rider at RPI No. 119.
7. Tallahassee Regional
1. Florida State (8)
2. Coastal Carolina (27)
3. Northern Illinois (78)
4. St. John’s (102)
Average RPI: 53.75
Florida State finished RPI No. 8, but is the No. 10 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles’ draw isn’t that tough on the surface, but Coastal Carolina has dealt with a plethora of injuries and comes in at RPI No. 27. Northern Illinois is the third-worst 3-seed in RPI, while St. John’s is No. 102 in RPI as the 4-seed.
8. Starkville Regional
1. Mississippi State (13)
2. Cincinnati (22)
3. Louisiana (33)
4. Lipscomb (155)
Average RPI: 55.75
Some questioned whether or not Mississippi State would host, but they do and are No. 13 in RPI. The Bulldogs got two top 33 teams in this group, 2-seed Cincinnati at RPI No. 22 and 3-seed Louisiana at RPI No. 33. This is perhaps one of the most underrated groups in the NCAA Tournament.
9. Los Angeles Regional
1. UCLA (1)
2. Virginia Tech (42)
3. Cal Poly (73)
4. Saint Mary’s (140)
Average RPI: 64
UCLA, the No. 1 team in RPI, is the top overall seed in the field. The Bruins get the worst 2-seed by RPI in Virginia Tech, a team that most expected to be on the bubble as opposed to a 2-seed. Cal Poly is RPI No. 73 as the 3-seed, with Saint Mary’s at No. 140 as the 4-seed.
10. Eugene Regional
1. Oregon (15)
2. Oregon State (18)
3. Washington State (83)
4. Yale (144)
Average RPI: 65
This is pretty close to being right on track, as the No. 11 overall seed, Oregon, has the 10th-toughest regional by RPI. They’re joined by rival Oregon State, who is another top 20 RPI team at No. 18. It’s a battle between the former Pac-12’s with Washington State also in the mix as the 3-seed, and Yale rounds it out as the 4-seed.
11. Athens Regional
1. Georgia (7)
2. Boston College (34)
3. Liberty (32)
4. Long Island (199)
Average RPI: 68
Georgia is the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament as regular season and conference tournament champions in the SEC. The Bulldogs are No. 7 in RPI themselves, and have RPI No. 34 and No. 32 in Boston College and Liberty. Interestingly, Liberty was one of the last four teams in the field as RPI No. 32. Long Island is No. 199 in RPI as the 4-seed.
12. Atlanta Regional
1. Georgia Tech (2)
2. Oklahoma (24)
3. The Citadel (41)
4. UIC (227)
Average RPI: 73.5
Georgia Tech won the regular season and ACC Tournament titles, coming in as the No. 2 overall seed in the field. The Yellow Jackets have RPI No. 24 Oklahoma as the 2-seed, and then The Citadel on the better side of RPI among 3-seeds. UIC is the third-worst team in the field according to RPI.
13. Tuscaloosa Regional
1. Alabama (6)
2. Oklahoma State (29)
3. USC Upstate (84)
4. Alabama State (177)
Average RPI: 74
Alabama is the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and gets the fourth-easiest regional in average RPI. The Crimson Tide are No. 6, with Oklahoma State at No. 29 as the 2-seed. USC Upstate is RPI No. 84, which is the worst 3-seed in the field per the metric. Alabama State rounds out the field at RPI No. 177.
14. Austin Regional
1. Texas (5)
2. UC Santa Barbara (38)
3. Tarleton State (56)
4. Holy Cross (201)
Average RPI: 75
Texas is a top five team in RPI, and the No. 6 overall seed. They have the second-worst RPI team among 2-seeds in UC Santa Barbara at No. 38. Tarleton State is No. 56 as an automatic qualifier, and they’re the 3-seed. Holy Cross is RPI No. 201, the fourth-worst in the field.
15. Lincoln Regional
1. Nebraska (10)
2. Ole Miss (16)
3. Arizona State (44)
4. South Dakota State (239)
Average RPI: 77.25
The Lincoln Regional really puts RPI to the test. It’s the second-easiest in terms of RPI, but many view it as the or one of the toughest fields in the tournament. Nebraska and Ole Miss are both top 16 in RPI, while Arizona State is No. 44 as the 3-seed. South Dakota State is where this average gets brought down, coming in at No. 239 which is the worst in the tournament.
16. Auburn Regional
1. Auburn (3)
2. UCF (36)
3. NC State (51)
4. Milwaukee (238)
Average RPI: 82
Auburn, the No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, has the easiest path in terms of RPI. The Tigers are No. 3 in RPI, while UCF at No. 36 is the third-worst RPI team among 2-seeds. NC State was thought to be on the bubble at RPI No. 51, but they are safely in the field as the 3-seed. Milwaukee is the second-worst RPI team in the tournament at No. 238, one point ahead of South Dakota State as the worst.
