The NCAA Softball Tournament field is set, and the road to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City begins this Friday with regionals. For stars like NiJaree Canady and Megan Grant, this is the last chance to capture a national championship—and for five teams, the pressure has never been higher.

Alabama enters as the No. 1 overall seed, despite falling to Texas in the SEC Tournament title game. The Crimson Tide boast a stellar 1.60 ERA, second-best in the nation, and a 15-5 record in Quad 1 games. Being the top seed brings its own weight of expectations, but for some teams, the stakes are even greater.

Texas Tech is feeling the heat after pushing Texas to a decisive Game 3 in last year's Women's College World Series, only to fall short in their first-ever trip to Oklahoma City. This season, the Red Raiders brought back Canady and her million-dollar arm for another shot at glory, while adding prized transfers like UCLA's Kaitlyn Terry, Tennessee's Taylor Pannell, Ohio State's Jazzy Burns, and Florida's Mia Williams. On paper, this is arguably the most talented team in the sport. Yet the selection committee didn't grant them a top-eight seed, meaning a super regional road trip likely awaits. Canady has played in the World Series each of the last three seasons—twice with Stanford, once with Texas Tech—and winning a national title is the only thing left on her checklist.

UCLA faces a similar ticking clock. Like the Bruins' women's basketball team, this core group is running out of time to achieve something special together. Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery anchor the offense, while ace Taylor Tinsley leads the pitching staff—and all three were drafted by AUSL teams last week. After falling short in the Big Ten championship this season, UCLA knows its postseason fate will likely depend on how far Grant and Woolery's bats can carry them.