Introducing the New Mountain-West Region: Extra Inning Softball Redraws the Map

Extra Inning Softball (EIS) redraws the map! Beginning with the Class of 2028 rankings and continuing for all classes going forward, the former Mountain Region and West Region will be combined into a single Mountain-West Region.

The change moves EIS to five regions nationally: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and the new Mountain-West, which brings together the mountain states with Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.

Rankings That Match the Field

The Mountain Region has historically been underrepresented in regional rankings, despite producing talented, college-ready athletes.

Many of those players already carry a heavy travel schedule into the West, competing regularly against California programs. California remains one of the largest concentrations of fastpitch talent in the country.

Ranking those athletes in a separate, smaller pool created an incomplete picture. By combining the two regions, EIS will evaluate Mountain athletes alongside the West competition they already face on the field.

Why the Mountain West Makes Sense

Beyond better representation, EIS identified several additional benefits of the realignment.

The first is stronger evidence behind every placement. Under EIS’s SERV™ methodology (Software, Evaluate, Research, Verify), rankings are built on performance history and verified results.

A combined region includes more direct head-to-head matchups, giving the Rankings Committee stronger data for comparing athletes.

The change also creates a more balanced national structure. Merging two regions produces a talent pool closer in size and depth to the other four regions. That makes regional recognition more consistent from coast to coast.

The new region also mirrors the western showcase circuit. Major summer events in Colorado, Southern California, and Nevada already bring mountain and West teams together, so the Mountain West reflects the circuit where college coaches are already watching.

It fits how college programs recruit, too. Many programs recruit across the entire western half of the country rather than within narrow geographic lines. One region gives those coaches a single, unified list to work from.

Most importantly, the realignment stays true to EIS’s core principle that recognition should be earned, not assumed.

The change reduces the chance that an athlete’s placement depends on the size of her region rather than the strength of her performance. 🥎 Sign up for rankings notifications and don’t miss deadlines!

What Families Need to Know

Rankings for the Class of 2028 and all future classes will use the new five-region structure. The updated region map is available here: [REGION MAP]. Answers to common questions about EIS rankings, nominations, and recognition tiers can be found on the Rankings FAQ page.

More Ways to Be Seen: MyEIS360

The Mountain West realignment is one part of a larger effort to put athletes in front of the college coaches evaluating them. MyEIS360™ Athlete Profiles, a new feature from Extra Inning Softball, gives every athlete a place to tell her full story beyond a ranking.

Each profile works as a one-stop shop for recruiting. Athletes and families control what appears and can update their information whenever they choose.

The Media Vault holds multiple videos, so coaches can see an athlete’s swing, glove work, or pitching without chasing down links. Profiles also display tournament schedules, achievements, EIS rankings, and tournament performance rankings. A coach can see where a player stands and where to watch her next.

That visibility matters most for athletes in the new Mountain-West Region.

A player from the mountain states who has spent her summer competing against California talent can now show that work in one place, next to rankings that put her head-to-head with the same competition.

Anyone can view MyEIS360™ profiles for free, with no membership required. Everyone in the softball community can search for athletes through the Find an Athlete page and learn more HERE.

Extra Inning Softball also offers free memberships to all college coaches, who can request access by emailing customerservice@extrainningsoftball.com from their school email account.

Get started with MyEIS360™

About Extra Inning Softball

Extra Inning Softball is a national sports media, rankings, recruiting, and community platform dedicated to girls fastpitch softball.

Through national and regional rankings powered by its proprietary SERV™ methodology, MyEIS360 athlete profiles, and editorial coverage, EIS works to connect athletes with college opportunities. Its mission: Empower • Inspire • Support.

What’s next? Class of 2028 nominations Close October 5, 2026👉 Nominate HERE 

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