2002 NCAA Division I softball tournament
The 2002 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the twenty-first annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2002, 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 2002 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 23 through May 27 and marked the conclusion of the 2002 NCAA Division I softball season. [2002 2002 California Golden Bears softball team|California Golden Bears softball team|California] won their first NCAA championship by defeating [2002 2002 Arizona Wildcats softball team|Arizona Wildcats softball team|Arizona] 6–0 in the final game. California pitcher Jocelyn Forest was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.
Regionals
Regional No. 1
Opening Round- ' defeated, 3–0.
- ' defeated, 2–1.
- defeated, 2–1.
- UMBC defeated Liberty, 7–1. Liberty eliminated.
- Eastern Kentucky defeated UMBC, 6–1, UMBC eliminated.
- Georgia defeated South Carolina, 1–0.
- UCLA defeated Eastern Kentucky, 10–0. Eastern Kentucky eliminated.
- UCLA defeated Georgia, 2–1.
- South Carolina defeated Georgia, 9–3. Georgia eliminated.
- South Carolina defeated UCLA, 2–1.
- UCLA defeated South Carolina, 1–0.
Regional No. 2
Opening Round- Arizona defeated, 4–1.
- ' defeated, 3–1.
- ' defeated, 2–1.
- Penn State defeated Boston University, 5–1. Boston University eliminated.
- Penn State defeated Princeton, 3–0. Princeton eliminated.
- DePaul defeated Minnesota, 2–0.
- Arizona defeated Penn State, 4–3. Penn State eliminated.
- Arizona defeated DePaul, 2–0.
- DePaul defeated Minnesota, 5–3. Minnesota eliminated.
- DePaul defeated Arizona, 6–0.
- Arizona defeated DePaul, 8–0.
Regional No. 3
Opening Round- ' defeated, 3–2.
- ' defeated, 4–1.
- defeated, 5–3.
- Mississippi State defeated Northwestern State, 9–6. Northwestern State eliminated.
- Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Mississippi State, 10–3. Mississippi State eliminated.
- Arizona State defeated UMass, 1–0.
- LSU defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 5–2. Louisiana–Lafayette eliminated.
- Arizona State defeated LSU, 3–2.
- LSU defeated UMass, 1–0. UMass eliminated.
- Arizona State defeated LSU, 4–1.
Regional No. 4
Opening Round- ' defeated, 3–0.
- ' defeated, 7–0.
- California defeated, 2–1.
- Pacific defeated Evansville, 6–0. Evansville eliminated.
- Fresno State defeated Pacific, 1–0. Pacific eliminated.
- California defeated Stanford, 1–0.
- Cal State Fullerton defeated Fresno State, 1–0. Fresno State eliminated.
- California defeated Cal State Fullerton, 4–2.
- Cal State Fullerton defeated Stanford, 4–1. Stanford eliminated.
- California defeated Cal State Fullerton, 1–0.
Regional No. 5
Opening Round- ' defeated, 4–0.
- ' defeated, 6–0.
- defeated, 6–2.
- Army defeated Utah, 2–0. Utah eliminated.
- Arkansas defeated Army, 2–0. Army eliminated.
- Oklahoma defeated Texas A&M, 7–0.
- Texas defeated Arkansas, 6–2. Arkansas eliminated.
- Oklahoma defeated Texas, 4–1.
- Texas A&M defeated Texas, 2–1. Texas eliminated.
- Oklahoma defeated Texas A&M, 8–1.
Regional No. 6
Opening Round- ' defeated, 8–0.
- ' defeated, 5–0.
- defeated, 7–0.
- Oakland defeated Canisius, 3–1. Canisius eliminated.
- Central Michigan defeated Oakland, 2–1. Oakland eliminated.
- Michigan defeated Ohio State, 3–0.
- Washington defeated Central Michigan, 4–1. Central Michigan eliminated.
- Michigan defeated Washington, 6–5.
- Ohio State defeated Washington, 2–1. Washington eliminated.
- Michigan defeated Ohio State, 4–0.
Regional No. 7
Opening Round- ' defeated, 1–0.
- ' defeated, 1–0.
- defeated, 3–2.
- UIC defeated Wisconsin, 2–0. Wisconsin eliminated.
- Iowa defeated UIC, 3–1. UIC eliminated.
- Oregon State defeated Notre Dame, 2–0.
- Nebraska defeated Iowa, 3–0. Iowa eliminated.
- Nebraska defeated Oregon State, 7–0.
- Notre Dame defeated Oregon State, 2–0. Oregon State eliminated.
- Nebraska defeated Notre Dame, 5–3.
Regional No. 8
Opening Round- ' defeated, 4–3.
- ' defeated, 3–1.
- defeated, 2–1.
- Florida Atlantic defeated Alabama, 2–1. Alabama eliminated.
- Florida Atlantic defeated Auburn, 4–2. Auburn eliminated.
- Georgia Tech defeated Florida State, 7–0.
- Chattanooga defeated Florida Atlantic, 6–1. Florida Atlantic eliminated.
- Georgia Tech defeated Chattanooga, 3–0.
- Florida State defeated Chattanooga, 1–0. Chattanooga eliminated.
- Florida State defeated Georgia Tech, 3–0.
- Florida State defeated Georgia Tech, 6–1.
Women's College World Series
Participants
*: Excludes Nebraska's vacated 1985 WCWS participation.**: Excludes UCLA's vacated 1995 WCWS participation.
†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.
Results
Bracket
Championship game
| School | Top Batter | Stats. |
| California | Jessica Pamanian | 2-3 3RBIs 2B |
| Arizona | Mackenzie Vandergeest | 1-3 K |
| School | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB | BF |
| California | Jocelyn Forest | 7.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 25 |
| Arizona | Jennie Finch | 6.2 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 33 |
| Arizona | Jenny Gladding | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
All-Tournament Team
The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team:| Position | Player | Class | School |
| Pitcher | Erica Beach | Senior | Arizona State |
| Pitcher | Jennie Finch | Senior | Arizona |
| Pitcher | Keira Goerl | Sophomore | UCLA |
| Pitcher | Leslie Malerich | Senior | Florida State |
| Catcher | Stacey Nuveman | Senior | UCLA |
| 1st Base | Veronica Nelson | Junior | California |
| 1st Base | Leneah Manuma | Sophomore | Arizona |
| Shortstop | Chelsea Spencer | Freshman | California |
| Shortstop | Natasha Watley | Junior | UCLA |
| 3rd Base | Jackie Coburn | Freshman | Arizona |
| Outfield | Kristin Farber | Sophomore | Arizona State |
| Most Outstanding Player | Jocelyn Forest | Senior | California |