Before we look ahead, we look back in the Trib HSSN state softball rankings.
Coming into the 2026 softball season, the six teams preparing to defend their PIAA crowns were Central Dauphin in Class 6A, Penn-Trafford in 5A, Valley View in 4A, Pine Grove in 3A, Neshannock in 2A and Union in A.
The WPIAL owned bragging rights with three state champs in 2025 in Penn-Trafford, Neshannock and Union.
District 2 with Valley View, District 3 with Central Dauphin and District 11 Pine Grove all shared second place.
While the others look to repeat, Neshannock in 2A is trying to earn a third straight state championship, which would be its fourth in five years.
Greencastle-Antrim in Class 5A is the only new No. 1 team in the inaugural state rankings while the defending champs sit atop the other five classifications.
Here are the first Trib HSSN state softball rankings in 2025. Teams are listed with overall record, district and last week’s ranking.
Class 6A
1. Central Dauphin (1-1) (3) (1)
2. Hempfield (4-1) (7) (3)
3. Cumberland Valley (5-0) (3) (5)
4. Bethlehem Freedom (4-0) (11) (NR)
5. Owen J. Roberts (5-0) (1) (NR)
Out: None
Class 5A
1. Greencastle-Antrim (4-1) (3) (2)
2. Hershey (4-0) (3) (NR)
3. Shaler (5-1) (7) (NR)
4. West Allegheny (3-0) (7) (3)
5. West Chester East (3-1) (1) (4)
Out: None
Class 4A
1. Valley View (2-1) (2) (1)
2. Kennard-Dale (4-0) (3) (2)
3. Northwestern Lehigh (4-1) (11) (3)
4. Fort LeBoeuf (1-0) (10) (4)
5. Athens (2-0) (4) (5)
Out: None
Class 3A
1. Pine Grove (5-0) (11) (1)
2. Sharon (4-0) (10) (5)
3. Mid-Valley (4-1) (2) (4)
4. South Park (4-0) (7) (NR)
5. Littlestown (6-0) (3) (NR)
Out: None
Class 2A
1. Neshannock (4-0) (7) (1)
2. Williams Valley (3-0) (11) (3)
3. Chartiers-Houston (7-0) (7) (4)
4. West Shamokin (4-0) (6) (NR)
5. Bristol (2-1) (1) (5)
Out: None
Class A
1. Union (3-1) (7) (1)
2. Claysburg-Kimmel (5-0) (6) (3)
3. Holy Cross (4-0) (2) (5)
4. Conemaugh Valley (3-0) (6) (NR)
5. Delco Christian (2-0) (1) (NR)
Out: None