2024 NCAA Division I softball tournament
College softball tournament
Collegiate softball tournament
The 2024 NCAA Division I softball tournament was held from May 17 through June 6, 2024, as the final part of the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season . The tournament ended with the 2024 Women's College World Series at Devon Park in Oklahoma City .[ 1] Oklahoma won the 2024 Women's College World Series , becoming the first team in college softball history to four-peat .[ 2] [ 3] [tone ]
Dayton , Siena and Southeastern Louisiana made their NCAA Division I softball tournament debuts.[ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
All 13 softball playing schools of the Southeastern Conference were selected for the tournament. This marked the fourth time in conference history that all 13 programs qualified for the NCAA tournament.[ 8]
A total of 64 teams entered the tournament, with 32 of them receiving an automatic bid by either winning their conference's tournament or by finishing in first place in their conference. The remaining 32 bids were at-large, with selections extended by the NCAA Selection Committee.
Bids
The Big West and West Coast Conference bids were awarded to the regular-season champion. All other conferences had their automatic bid go to the conference tournament winner.[ 9]
Automatic
Conference
School
Best finish
Last NCAA appearance
ACC
Duke
Super Regionals(2022 , 2023 )
2023
America East
UAlbany
Regionals(2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2011 , 2014 , 2017 , 2018 )
2018
American
Charlotte
Regionals(2023 )
2023
ASUN
Florida Gulf Coast
Regionals(2012 )
2012
Atlantic 10
Dayton
First appearance
First appearance
Big 12
Oklahoma
National champion(2000 , 2013 , 2016 , 2017 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 )
2023
Big East
Villanova
Regionals(2021 , 2022 )
2022
Big Sky
Northern Colorado
Regionals(2023 )
2023
Big South
USC Upstate
Regionals(2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 )
2017
Big Ten
Michigan
National champion(2005 )
2022
Big West
Cal State Fullerton
National champion(1986 )
2023
CAA
UNC Wilmington
Regionals(2022 )
2022
Conference USA
Liberty
Regionals(2002 , 2011 , 2018 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 )
2023
Horizon
Cleveland State
Regionals(1997 , 2009 )
2009
Ivy League
Princeton
WCWS(1995 , 1996 )
2022
MAAC
Siena
First appearance
First appearance
MAC
Miami (OH)
Regionals(2005 , 2009 , 2012 , 2016 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 )
2023
MEAC
Morgan State
Regionals(2021 )
2021
Missouri Valley
Southern Illinois
WCWS (1970 , 1977 , 1978 )
2023
Mountain West
San Diego State
Super Regional(2023 )
2023
NEC
Saint Francis
Regionals(2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2021 , 2022 )
2022
Ohio Valley
Southeast Missouri
Regionals(1999 , 2019 )
2019
Pac-12
UCLA
National champion(1982 , 1984 , 1985 , 1988 , 1989 , 1990 , 1992 , 1999 , 2003 , 2004 , 2010 , 2019 )
2023
Patriot
Boston University
Regionals(1996 , 2002 , 2003 , 2009 , 2010 , 2012 , 2014 , 2016 , 2018 , 2019 , 2021 , 2023 )
2023
SEC
Florida
National champion (2014 , 2015 )
2023
Southern
Chattanooga
Regionals (2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2008 , 2009 , 2011 , 2014 , 2015 , 2019 , 2022 )
2022
Southland
Southeastern Louisiana
First appearance
First appearance
SWAC
Jackson State
Regionals(2011 )
2011
Summit
Omaha
Regionals(2023 )
2023
Sun Belt
Texas State
Regionals(1999 , 2001 , 2003 , 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2021 , 2023 )
2023
WAC
Grand Canyon
Regionals(2022 , 2023 )
2023
West Coast
Saint Mary's
Regionals(2010 )
2010
At-large
By conference
National seeds
Sixteen national seeds were announced on the Selection Show, on Sunday, May 12 at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN2 and ESPN+ . Teams in italics advanced to Super Regionals. Teams in bold advanced to the Women's College World Series .[ 10] [ 11]
Regionals and Super Regionals
The Regionals took place May 17–19. The Super Regionals takes place May 23–26.[ 12]
Austin Super Regional
Stanford Super Regional
Stillwater Super Regional
Gainesville Super Regional
Knoxville Super Regional
Los Angeles Super Regional
Columbia Super Regional
Norman Super Regional
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series was held May 30 through June 6 in Oklahoma City.
Participants
School
Conference
Record (conference)
Head coach
WCWS appearances† (including 2024 WCWS)
WCWS best finish†*
WCWS W–L record† (excluding 2024 WCWS)
Alabama
SEC
38–18 (10–14)
Patrick Murphy
15 (last: 2023 )
1st(2012 )
22–27
Duke
ACC
52–7 (20–4)
Marissa Young
1(last: First appearance)
First appearance
0–0
Florida
SEC
49–12 (17–7)
Tim Walton
12(last: 2022 )
1st(2014 , 2015 )
27–20
Oklahoma
Big 12
54–6 (22–5)
Patty Gasso
17(last: 2023 )
1st(2000 , 2013 , 2016 , 2017 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 )
48–23
Oklahoma State
Big 12
49–10 (21–6)
Kenny Gajewski
12(last: 2023 )
3rd(1989 , 1990 , 1993 , 1994 , 2022 )
15–22
Stanford
Pac-12
48–15 (17–7)
Jessica Allister
4(last: 2023 )
4th(2001 , 2004 , 2023 )
6–5
Texas
Big 12
52–8 (23–4)
Mike White
7 (last: 2022 )
2nd (2022 )
11–13
UCLA
Pac-12
42–10 (17–4)
Kelly Inouye-Perez
32 (last: 2022 )
1st (1982 , 1984 , 1985 , 1988 , 1989 , 1990 ,1992 , 1999 , 2003 , 2004 , 2010 , 2019 )
107–40
Bracket
First round
Second round
Semifinals
Finals
1
Texas
4
8
Stanford
0
1
Texas
10(5)
4
Florida
0
4
Florida
1
5
Oklahoma State
0
1
Texas
1
—
8
Stanford
0
—
8
Stanford
8(6)
5
Oklahoma State
0
6
UCLA
1
8
Stanford
3
1
Texas
3
4
—
2
Oklahoma
8
8
—
6
UCLA
4
14
Alabama
1
6
UCLA
0
2
Oklahoma
1
2
Oklahoma
9(6)
10
Duke
1
2
Oklahoma
3
6(8)
4
Florida
9
5
14
Alabama
2
10
Duke
1
4
Florida
6
14
Alabama
4
Game times are based on the local time (CDT ) in Oklahoma City
Game results
Finals
Game 1
Game 2
June 6, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. (CDT ) at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Texas
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
4
7
0
Oklahoma
0
2
0
3
0
3
x
8
12
1
WP : Kierston Deal (14–1) LP : Estelle Czech (8–4) Sv : Kelly Maxwell (3)Home runs : TEX: None OKLA: Kasidi PickeringAttendance: 12,324Boxscore
All-tournament Team
The following players were members of the Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team.
Record by conference
Radio
For the fourth consecutive year Westwood One will provide nationwide radio coverage of every game in the Women's College World Series. Ryan Radtke and Leah Amico returned as two of the broadcasters.[ 14]
Television
ESPN holds exclusive rights to the tournament. The network will air games across ABC , ESPN, ESPN2 , ESPNU , ESPN+ , SEC Network , Longhorn Network , and ACC Network . For just the seventh time in the history of the women's softball tournament, ESPN covered every regional.[ 15] [ 16]
Broadcast assignments
Regionals [ 15]
Super Regionals [ 17]
Austin: Kevin Brown & Amanda Scarborough
Norman: Beth Mowins, Jessica Mendoza, & Michele Smith
Knoxville: Eric Frede & Madison Shipman
Gainesville: Matt Schumaker & Erin Miller Thiessen
Women's College World Series [ 18]
Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough & Alyssa Lang (afternoons & late games)
Beth Mowins, Jessica Mendoza, Michele Smith & Holly Rowe (primetime)
Regionals [ 15]
Super Regionals [ 17]
Stillwater: Mark Neely & Carol Bruggeman
Los Angeles: Courtney Lyle & Danielle Lawrie
Columbia: Pam Ward & Jenny Dalton-Hill
Stanford: Mike Couzens & Kenzie Fowler
Women's College World Series Finals [ 18]
Beth Mowins, Jessica Mendoza, Michele Smith & Holly Rowe
References
^ "Softball Division I Championship" . NCAA.com . Retrieved May 9, 2024 .
^ Bardahl, Jayna (June 6, 2024). "Oklahoma claims historic 4-peat with WCWS championship finals Game 2 win over Texas" . The New York Times . Retrieved June 6, 2024 .
^ Curtright, Austin (June 6, 2024). "Oklahoma softball wins fourth straight championship: Social media reactions to Sooner dynasty" . The Oklahoman . Retrieved June 6, 2024 .
^ "The NCAA softball national championship bracket is set" . thegistsports.com . May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ Jablonski, David (May 13, 2024). " 'A feeling of accomplishment' — Dayton softball team thrilled to make NCAA tournament for first time" . Dayton Daily News . Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ "Siena softball going to first NCAA Tournament regional" . news10.com . WTEN . May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ "Southeastern softball heads to Tuscaloosa regional for first NCAA tournament appearance" . The Advocate . May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024 .
^ "13 SEC teams to compete in 2024 NCAA Softball Tournament" . secsports.com . May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024 .
^ "2024 college softball conference tournaments: Schedules, brackets, auto-bids" . NCAA.com . May 11, 2024. Retrieved May 11, 2024 .
^ "NCAA Division I Softball Committee announces 2024 championship field" . NCAA.com . May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024 .
^ Trotter, Jake (May 12, 2024). "Texas seeded No. 1 over Oklahoma for NCAA softball tournament" . ESPN.com . Retrieved May 12, 2024 .
^ Bardahl, Jayna (May 12, 2024). "NCAA softball tournament bracket set: Texas named No. 1 seed, first non-Oklahoma top team in 4 years" . The Athletic . Retrieved May 12, 2024 .
^ "2024 NCAA softball bracket: Women's College World Series scores, schedule" . NCAA.com . May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024 .
^ "Cumulus Media's Westwood One Presents Exclusive Full-Court Audio Coverage of the 2024 NCAA® Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Final Four® and National Championship Games on Multiple Platforms" . globenewswire.com (Press release). April 4, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024 .
^ a b c Callahan, Katie (May 13, 2024). "#Batter Up: ESPN Platforms Present Every Pitch of the NCAA Softball Regionals as the #RoadToWCWS Begins" . espnpressroom.com . Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ "How to watch 2024 college softball on ESPN" . ESPN.com . May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ a b Callahan, Katie (May 20, 2024). "#RoadtoWCWS Continues as ESPN Carries Every Pitch From NCAA Softball Super Regionals" . espnpressroom.com . Retrieved May 20, 2024 .
^ a b Callahan, Katie (May 27, 2024). "All Comes Down to OKC: ESPN Presents Exclusive Coverage of the NCAA Women's College World Series" . espnpressroom.com . Retrieved May 27, 2024 .
2023–24 NCAA Division I championships
† Not an officially sanctioned NCAA championship