ACC Opening Weekend: Coast to Coast
Stanford and Cal arrive from the Pac-12. Wake Forest reloads after a CWS finals run. Virginia, Clemson, and North Carolina sharpen for Omaha. Eight ranked teams make the ACC deeper than the national conversation gives it credit for.
ACC Team Capsules
Ranked ACC teams with opening matchup and key player
One game from a national title. Bennett, Wilken, Hartle all return. The Deacs ran roughshod over the ACC and reload with enough talent for another Omaha run.
O'Connor's consistency machine. O'Ferrall and Gelof lead a balanced attack. ACC championship favorites.
ACC debut. Montgomery and Dowd bring West Coast firepower. Esquer's squad has Omaha aspirations and the cross-country travel to test them.
Bakich elevates the program. Excellent pitching depth and a balanced lineup make the Tigers a real threat.
Forbes has the Heels trending up. Honeycutt is a game-changer with plus power. Could be Chapel Hill's year.
Jarrett continues to build in Tallahassee. Elite athleticism across the roster and enough pitching to make a run.
Avent's teams are always competitive. Scrappy, well-coached, and capable of upsetting anyone in a short series.
ACC debut alongside Stanford. Neu's Bears have something to prove in their new conference.
Storylines to Watch
The narratives shaping the 2026 ACC season
Conference Realignment Arrives
Stanford and Cal join from the Pac-12, making the ACC a truly coast-to-coast conference for the first time. The Cardinal bring legitimate Omaha talent. Cal has pieces to compete. The cross-country travel — from Tallahassee to Palo Alto — will test both newcomers and their opponents.
Wake Forest Reloads
The Demon Deacons were one game from a national title. They lost a few key contributors but return Bennett, Wilken, and Hartle. Tom Walter's program has proven they belong at the top. Can they get back to Omaha?
Five Teams in the Top 20
Wake Forest, Virginia, Stanford, Clemson, and North Carolina all ranked in the top 20. Florida State and NC State add depth. The ACC is deeper than the national conversation gives it credit for.
Stanford's Coast-to-Coast Challenge
The Cardinal are talented enough for Omaha. But flying from Palo Alto to Winston-Salem, Clemson, and Chapel Hill every other week is a real competitive challenge. How David Esquer manages rest and travel will be a story all season.