2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament
The 2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the twentieth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2001, forty-eight Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of six teams, each in a double elimination format. The 2001 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 24 through May 28 and marked the conclusion of the 2001 NCAA Division I softball season. [2001 2001 Arizona Wildcats softball team|Arizona Wildcats softball team|Arizona] won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating UCLA 1–0 in the final game. Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.
Regionals
Regional No. 1
Opening Round- Arizona defeated, 4–2
- ' defeated, 1–0
- ' defeated, 2–1
- Texas Tech defeated Saint Peter's, 3–2. Saint Peter's eliminated.
- Texas Tech defeated Hawaii, 4–2. Hawaii eliminated.
- Cal State Fullerton defeated Texas State, 10–1.
- Arizona defeated Texas Tech, 8–0. Texas Tech eliminated
- Arizona defeated Texas State, 6–2.
- Texas State defeated Cal State Fullerton, 4–3.
- Arizona defeated Cal State Fullerton, 5–4.
Regional No. 2
Opening Round- UCLA defeated, 8–0.
- ' defeated, 3–1.
- ' defeated, 2–0.
- Fresno State defeated Coastal Carolina, 6–4. Coastal Carolina eliminated.
- Cal State Northridge defeated Fresno State, 3–1. Fresno State eliminated.
- San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 1–0.
- UCLA defeated Cal State Northridge, 9–0. Cal State Northridge eliminated.
- UCLA defeated San Diego State, 3–1.
- San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 6–1. Wisconsin eliminated.
- UCLA defeated San Diego State, 11–0.
Regional No. 3
Opening Round- ' defeated, 8–0.
- ' defeated, 4–1.
- defeated, 5–1.
- Penn State defeated Cornell, 5–0. Cornell eliminated.
- Penn State defeated Southern Miss, 1–0. Southern Miss eliminated.
- Arizona State defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.
- LSU defeated Penn State, 2–1. Penn State eliminated.
- LSU defeated Arizona State, 3–2.
- Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Arizona State, 5–0. Arizona State eliminated.
- LSU defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.
Regional No. 4
Opening Round- ' defeated, 8–2.
- ' defeated, 1–0.
- defeated, 2–1.
- Chattanooga defeated UIC, 5–2. UIC eliminated.
- Oregon State defeated Chattanooga, 13–0. Chattanooga eliminated.
- Michigan defeated South Florida, 6–2.
- Alabama defeated Oregon State, 1–0. Oregon State eliminated.
- Michigan defeated Alabama, 3–2.
- South Florida defeated Alabama, 3–2. Alabama eliminated.
- Michigan defeated South Florida, 12–5.
Regional No. 5
Opening Round- ' defeated, 9–2.
- ' defeated, 6–0.
- defeated, 4–2.
- Lehigh defeated Seton Hall, 2–0. Seton Hall eliminated.
- North Carolina defeated Lehigh, 4–0. Lehigh eliminated.
- Washington defeated UMass, 8–0.
- Oklahoma defeated North Carolina, 13–0. North Carolina eliminated.
- Oklahoma defeated Washington, 3–2.
- Washington defeated UMass, 7–1. UMass eliminated.
- Oklahoma defeated Washington, 10–2.
Regional No. 6
Opening Round- ' defeated, 3–1.
- ' defeated, 8–0.
- defeated, 4–0.
- Hofstra defeated BYU, 4–2. BYU eliminated.
- Central Michigan defeated Hofstra, 10–0. Hofstra eliminated.
- Nebraska defeated Pacific, 2–1.
- Stanford defeated Central Michigan, 6–0. Central Michigan eliminated.
- Stanford defeated Nebraska, 5–1.
- Pacific defeated Nebraska, 3–1. Nebraska eliminated.
- Pacific defeated Stanford, 2–0.
- Stanford defeated Pacific, 9–1.
Regional No. 7
Opening Round- ' defeated, 8–0.
- ' defeated, 2–1.
- defeated, 3–2.
- Illinois State defeated Western Illinois, 4–0. Western Illinois eliminated.
- Illinois State defeated South Carolina, 1–0. South Carolina eliminated.
- Iowa defeated DePaul, 7–4.
- Notre Dame defeated Illinois State, 2–1. Illinois State eliminated.
- Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–0.
- Notre Dame defeated DePaul, 8–1. DePaul eliminated.
- Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–2.
Regional No. 8
Opening Round- ' defeated, 6–2.
- ' defeated, 2–0.
- defeated Florida, 3–0.
- Connecticut defeated Bethune–Cookman, 2–1. Bethune–Cookman eliminated.
- Florida defeated Connecticut, 8–0. Connecticut eliminated.
- California defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0.
- Florida State defeated Florida, 6–2. Florida eliminated.
- California defeated Florida State, 1–0.
- Florida State defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0. Florida Atlantic eliminated.
- Florida State defeated California, 2–1.
- California defeated Florida State, 3–2.
Women's College World Series
Participants
| School | Conference | Record | Head coach | WCWS appearances† |
| Arizona | Pac-10 | 62–4 | Mike Candrea | 14 |
| Pac-10 | 53–16 | Diane Ninemire | 6 | |
| Big Ten | 47–11 | Gayle Blevins | 4 | |
| SEC | 57–9 | Yvette Girouard | 1 | |
| Big Ten | 43–15–1 | Carol Hutchins | 5 | |
| Big 12 | 50–7 | Patty Gasso | 2 | |
| Pac-10 | 52–14–1 | John Rittman | 1 | |
| UCLA | Pac-10 | 59–5 | Sue Enquist | 18* |
*: Excludes UCLA's vacated 1995 WCWS participation.
†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.
Results
Bracket
Game results
| Date | Game | Winner | Score | Loser | Notes |
| 5/24/2001 | Game 1 | Arizona | 3 - 2 | ||
| 5/24/2001 | Game 2 | 2 - 0 | |||
| 5/24/2001 | Game 3 | 2 - 1 | 8 Innings | ||
| 5/24/2001 | Game 4 | UCLA | 2 - 0 | ||
| 5/25/2001 | Game 5 | Arizona | 5 - 4 | 8 Innings | |
| 5/25/2001 | Game 6 | UCLA | 5 - 0 | ||
| 5/26/2001 | Game 7 | 5 - 2 | Michigan eliminated | ||
| 5/26/2001 | Game 8 | 2 - 1 | Iowa eliminated | ||
| 5/26/2001 | Game 9 | 1 - 0 | California eliminated | ||
| 5/26/2001 | Game 10 | 2 - 1 | 13 Innings Oklahoma eliminated | ||
| 5/27/2001 | Game 11 | Arizona | 1 - 0 | Stanford eliminated If Necessary Game not necessary | |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 12 | UCLA | 6 - 0 | LSU eliminated If Necessary Game not necessary | |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 13 | -- | -- | -- | Arizona / If Necessary Game not necessary |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 14 | -- | -- | -- | UCLA / If Necessary Game not necessary |
| 5/28/2001 | Championship game | Arizona | 1 - 0 | UCLA | Arizona Wins 2001 WCWS |
Championship game
| School | Top Batter | Stats. |
| Arizona | Lindsey Collins | 1-3 RBI HR K |
| UCLA | Amanda Freed | 1-3 BB |
| School | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB | BF |
| Arizona | Jennie Finch | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 26 |
| UCLA | Amanda Freed | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 29 |
All-Tournament Team
The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team:| Position | Player | Class | School |
| Pitcher | Amanda Freed | Junior | UCLA |
| Pitcher | Britni Sneed | Junior | LSU |
| Pitcher | Jennifer Stewart | Junior | Oklahoma |
| Catcher | Lindsey Collins | Senior | Arizona |
| 1st Base | Tairia Mims | Sophomore | UCLA |
| 3rd Base | Toni Mascarenas | Senior | Arizona |
| 3rd Base | Julie Wiese | Freshman | LSU |
| Outfield | Nicole Giordano | Senior | Arizona |
| Outfield | Jessica Mendoza | Junior | Stanford |
| Outfield | Christy Ring | Junior | Oklahoma |
| Designated Hitter | Claire Sua | Freshman | UCLA |
| Most Outstanding Player | Jennie Finch | Junior | Arizona |