Women's College World Series

The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States and is held annually in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The event is held at Devon Park, located within the USA Softball Hall of Fame complex.
The eight teams of the WCWS play a double-elimination tournament until two teams remain. These two teams compete in a best-of-three series to determine the Division I WCWS national champion. Previous WCWS losses do not factor into the best-of-three championship series, and the first team to win two of three games is declared the national champion.
Like the Men's College World Series in baseball, the WCWS initially divides the eight teams ranked one through eight and are then divided into two brackets of four teams. Those 8 teams are the final 8 out of 64 teams that advance post regular season. The teams play their first-round matchups as follows: 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6 and 4 v 5. Unique to the WCWS is that the loser of the second-round game on one side of the bracket crosses over to the losers’ bracket on the other side. Suffering a second loss eliminates a team from the WCWS.
The second round features the four winners of the first-round games against each other, with the highest remaining seed versus the lowest remaining undefeated seed. In the losers’ bracket, the four first-round losers face each other, with the two winners advancing and the two losers, who have each suffered their second defeat, being eliminated from the tournament. The third round features the two losing teams from the second round versus second-round winners, while the two remaining undefeated teams get a day of rest. Once the third round is complete, four teams have been eliminated. The remaining four teams will then play each other in the semifinal round, with one team with one loss playing one team with no losses. If a team with a loss loses again, they are eliminated. If teams with no losses suffer a loss, the remaining teams will then be realigned and forced to play one last time, with the winners advancing to the best-of-three championship series. If by chance one or both unbeaten teams win in round four, then that team advances to the best-of-three championship series. From there games are cut to one game per day over the next three days. This feature allows any two of the eight WCWS teams to advance to the championship series, unlike the MCWS, whose two halves remain separate until the championship series.
The WCWS takes place at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. From 1969 to 1981, the women's collegiate softball championship was also known as the Women's College World Series and was promoted as such. During 1969–1979, the series was played in Omaha, after which the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women held the series in 1980–1982 in Norman, Oklahoma. There were two competing World Series tournaments in 1982. The NCAA held its first six Division I tournaments in Omaha in 1982–1987, followed by Sunnyvale, California, in 1988–1989. The event has been held in Oklahoma City every year since then, except for 1996, when it was held at the softball venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Columbus, Georgia.
Softball was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the AIAW for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same twelve sports. The 1982 softball championship tournaments of both the AIAW and the NCAA were called "Women's College World Series". However, after a year of dual women's championships, the NCAA won out over the AIAW.

Division I

NCAA

* Nebraska's runner-up finish in 1985 was vacated by the NCAA.
** The 1995 title by UCLA and any related records have been vacated by the NCAA due to scholarship violations. Criticism also centered on UCLA player Tanya Harding who was recruited from Queensland, Australia, midway through the 1995 season. After UCLA captured the NCAA National Championship, Harding, the MVP of the tournament, returned to her homeland without taking final exams or earning a single college credit. Despite not violating any formal rules in recruiting Harding, the incident generated heated criticism that some foreign athletes were little more than hired guns.
*** Beginning in 2005, a best-of-three series determines the national championship.

AIAW

From 1969 to 1972, the DGWS recognized the WCWS, organized by the Amateur Softball Association, as the collegiate championship tournament. The AIAW assumed responsibilities from DGWS in 1973.

Year	Champion	Title series game score	Runner-up
1969	'	2–0
1970	'	0–2 7–6
1971	'	6–0 4–0
1972	'	0–1 8–5	Nihon University
1973	'	0–4 4–3
1974	'	14–7
1975	'	1–11 6–4
1976	'	3–0
1977	'	0–1 7–0
1978	'	3–0
1979	'	1–0 1–0
1980	'	1–0 2–1
1981	'	1–6 4–3
1982	'	4–1 5–3

NCAA team titles by school

*UCLA also won the 1995 title, but it has since been vacated by the NCAA; see above.

AIAW team titles by school

From 1969 to 1972, the DGWS recognized the WCWS, organized by the Amateur Softball Association, as the collegiate championship tournament. The AIAW assumed responsibilities from DGWS in 1973.

School	Championships	Years
[John F. Kennedy College\|]	3	1969, 1970, 1971 '
'	2	1972 ', 1973
'	2	1980, 1981
'	2	1981, 1982 '
[Missouri State Lady Bears\|]	1	1974
[Omaha Mavericks\|]	1	1975
[Michigan State Spartans softball\|]	1	1976
'	1	1977
[UCLA Bruins softball\|]	1	1978
[Texas Woman's Pioneers\|]	1	1979
[Texas A&M Aggies softball\|]'''	1	1982

Championships & appearances by school

Color coded by current conference.Bold indicates team championship.
Teams are listed under their current athletic brand names.

School	Championships	Title games/series	WCWS appearances	WCWS appearances
UCLA^‡	13	22	36	1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
Arizona	8	14	29	1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2021, 2022
Oklahoma	8	10	22	1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, '2023, 2024, 2025
Arizona State	4	4	19	1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018
Oklahoma State	0	1	16	1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Washington	1	4	15	1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
California	1	3	15	1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012
Alabama	1	2	15	2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Michigan	1	2	13	1982, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016
Florida	2	5	13	2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025
Florida State	1	3	12	1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023
Fresno State	1	5	12	1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999
Texas A&M	3	6	12	1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2007, 2008, 2017
Northern Colorado	0	3	11	1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
South Carolina	0	0	11	1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1989, 1997
Missouri State	1	2	10	1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
Omaha	1	1	10	1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
Nebraska^‡'	0	0	9	1970, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1998, 2002, 2013
Cal State Fullerton	1	3	8	1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 1987, 1995
Illinois State	0	2	8	1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1981
Western Illinois	0	0	8	1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
Oregon	0	0	9	1976, 1980, 1989, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2025
Tennessee	0	2	9	2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2023, 2025
Texas	1	3	8	1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2022, 2024, 2025
Missouri	0	0	7	1981, 1983, 1991, 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011
Cal Poly Pomona	0	0	7	1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989
Kansas	0	0	7	1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1992
Michigan State	1	1	6	1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981
Louisiana	0	0	6	1993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008, 2014
LSU	0	0	6	2001, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017
Utah	0	0	6	1976, 1982, 1985, 1991, 1994, 2023
Northwestern	0	1	6	1984, 1985, 1986, 2006, 2007, 2022
UMass	0	0	6	1974, 1978, 1980, 1992, 1997, 1998
Long Beach State	0	0	5	1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Creighton	0	0	5	1969, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986
Georgia	0	0	5	2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2021
Oregon State	0	0	5	1977, 1978, 1979, 2006, 2022
Wayne State	0	0	5	1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
Utah State	2	2	4	1978, 1980, 1981, 1984
Northern Iowa	1	2	4	1973, 1975, 1976, 1977
Baylor	0	0	4	2007, 2011, 2014, 2017
Indiana	0	1	4	1979, 1980, 1983, 1986
DePaul	0	0	4	1999, 2000, 2005, 2007
Iowa	0	0	4	1995, 1996, 1997, 2001
Southern Illinois	0	0	4	1970, 1971, 1977, 1978
South Dakota State	0	0	4	1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
Stanford	0	0	4	2001, 2004, 2023, 2024
Luther	0	0	4	1970, 1971, 1972, 1974
John F. Kennedy	3	3	3	1969, 1970, 1971
Texas Woman's	1	1	3	1975, 1978, 1979
Minnesota	0	0	3	1976, 1978, 2019
Louisiana Tech	0	0	3	1983, 1985, 1986
Adelphi	0	0	3	1984, 1985, 1988
UNLV	0	0	3	1990, 1991, 1995
Western Michigan	0	0	3	1980, 1981, 1982
Nebraska–Kearney	0	0	3	1969, 1970, 1971
Minot State	0	0	3	1970, 1971, 1972
Emporia State	0	0	3	1971, 1972, 1979
Weber State	0	0	3	1973, 1974, 1975
North Dakota State	0	0	3	1973, 1974, 1975
Iowa State	0	1	2	1971, 1973
Cal State Northridge	0	1	2	1993, 1994
Princeton	0	0	2	1995, 1996
Southern Miss	0	0	2	1999, 2000
Central Michigan	0	0	2	1982, 1987
Minnesota–Duluth	0	0	2	1970, 1971
Midland Lutheran	0	0	2	1970, 1971
New Mexico	0	0	2	1980, 1981
Rutgers	0	0	2	1979, 1981
Concordia	0	0	2	1970, 1971
Upper Iowa	0	0	2	1970, 1971
Eastern Illinois	0	0	2	1971, 1974
Central Missouri	0	0	2	1971, 1972
Ball State	0	0	2	1973, 1975
Indiana State	0	0	2	1974, 1976
East Stroudsburg	0	0	2	1975, 1976
Northern State	0	0	2	1975, 1976
UT Arlington	0	0	2	1976, 1977
Sacramento State	0	0	2	1976, 1977
Texas Tech	0	1	1	2025
Auburn	0	1	2	2015, 2016
Duke	0	0	1	2024
Hawaii	0	0	1	2010
James Madison	0	0	1	2021
Kent State	0	0	1	1990
Kentucky	0	0	1	2014
Ole Miss	0	0	1	2025
Northern Illinois	0	0	1	1988
Pacific	0	0	1	1983
South Florida	0	0	1	2012
Toledo	0	0	1	1989
UConn	0	0	1	1993
UIC	0	0	1	1994
Virginia Tech	0	0	1	2008
St. Petersburg Junior College	0	0	1	1969
Black Hills State	0	0	1	1969
Midwestern	0	0	1	1970
Parsons	0	0	1	1971
Wartburg	0	0	1	1971
Wisconsin–Eau Claire	0	0	1	1971
South Dakota	0	0	1	1971
Southwest Baptist	0	0	1	1971
Buena Vista	0	0	1	1971
Simpson	0	0	1	1971
University of Tokyo–Nihon	0	1	1	1972
Keene State	0	0	1	1972
Purdue	0	0	1	1972
West Georgia	0	0	1	1974
Golden West College	0	0	1	1974
Winona State	0	0	1	1974
Nassau Community College	0	0	1	1974
Western Oregon	0	0	1	1975
Northwest Missouri State	0	0	1	1975
Ohio	0	0	1	1975
Minnesota State	0	0	1	1975
Tarkio	0	0	1	1976
Northwestern Oklahoma State	0	0	1	1976
Mayville State	0	0	1	1976
West Chester	0	0	1	1977
Springfield	0	0	1	1977
Portland State	0	0	1	1978
Stephen F. Austin	0	0	1	1978
Chapman	0	0	1	1979
New Mexico State	0	0	1	1981
Ohio State	0	0	1	1982
Rhode Island	0	0	1	1982
U.S. International	0	0	1	1982

^‡ UCLA's 1995 NCAA championship and Nebraska's 1985 runner-up finish were vacated by the NCAA and are not counted

Championships and appearances by conference

This listing excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1982.

Conference	Championships	Title Game/Series Appearances	WCWS appearances
Pac-12	24	39	99
SEC	4	11	56
Big 12	8	12	44
Big Ten	1	3	27
Big West	1	4	22
ACC	1	3	13
Big Eight			12
WAC	1	2	11
Atlantic 10			6
Southwest	2	4	5
Conference USA			5
Sun Belt			6
MAC			4
Metro			4
Southland			3
Big East			3
Ivy			2
Missouri Valley			2
CAA			1
Independent			2
Summit League			1
NorPac		1	3
North Star			1
WCAA	3	3	6

;Notes

Championships coaches

Updated through 2025 World Series
Source:

Coach	NCAA Championships	Title Game/Series Appearances	WCWS Appearances	Schools
Mike Candrea	8	13	23	[Arizona Wildcats softball\|]
Patty Gasso	8	10	17	'
Sharron Backus	7	12	14	[UCLA Bruins softball\|]
Sue Enquist	6	13	16	[UCLA Bruins softball\|]
Bob Brock	2	4	5	[Texas A&M Aggies softball\|]
Clint Myers	2	3	9	'
Clint Myers	2	3	9	'
Kelly Inouye-Perez	2	2	9	[UCLA Bruins softball\|]
Tim Walton	2	3	11	[Florida Gators softball\|]
Mike White	1	3	8	[Texas Longhorns softball\|]
Lonni Alameda	1	3	5	'
Judi Garman	1	1	6	'
Carol Hutchins	1	2	12	'
Patrick Murphy	1	2	14	[Alabama Crimson Tide softball\|]
Diane Ninemire	1	3	11	'
Heather Tarr	1	2	8	'
Margie Wright	1	4	10	[Fresno State Bulldogs softball\|]

;Notes