The NCAA Tournament is here, and Duke softball is ready to make some noise. The No. 12 nationally seeded Blue Devils kick off their postseason journey this Friday, May 15, hosting the Durham Regional at Smith Family Stadium. First up? A showdown against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, Howard University.

With a solid 39-14 record, Duke enters as the top seed in the regional, while Howard (28-17) comes in hungry after earning their spot through conference dominance. The action starts at noon ET on ACC Network, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense doubleheader day. Following the Duke-Howard matchup, Arizona and Marshall will square off at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Here's how the regional shakes out: Friday's winners advance to face each other on Saturday at 1 p.m., while the losers get another shot in the elimination game at 3:30 p.m. The double-elimination format keeps the drama alive through the weekend, with the championship round set for Sunday. Only one team will emerge with a ticket to Super Regionals.

For Duke, the stakes are high. The Blue Devils are chasing their fourth Super Regional appearance, and the path runs through the Fayetteville Regional—home to No. 5 overall seed Arkansas, along with Fordham, Washington, and South Florida. Every pitch, every swing, every play matters now.

Stay tuned as we bring you live updates from this exciting NCAA regional action. Whether you're a die-hard Duke fan or just love the thrill of postseason softball, this is where the season gets real.