Women's College World Series


The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three series to determine the Division I WCWS National Champion. The WCWS takes place at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium 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 AIAW 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 in Columbus, Georgia when they wanted to show that it would be a good place for softball to be played during the 1996 Olympics.
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 conquered the AIAW and usurped its authority and membership.
The 2020 Women's College World Series was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 1969–1972, the DGWS recognized the WCWS, organized by the Amateur Softball Association, as the collegiate championship tournament. The AIAW assumed responsibilities from DGWS in 1973.
YearChampionTitle Series Game ScoreRunner-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

AIAW team titles by school

From 1969–1972, the DGWS recognized the WCWS, organized by the Amateur Softball Association, as the collegiate championship tournament. The AIAW assumed responsibilities from DGWS in 1973.
SchoolChampionshipsYears
John F. Kennedy College 31969, 1970, 1971 '
Arizona State21972 ', 1973
Utah State21980, 1981
Florida State21981, 1982
Missouri State11974
Nebraska Omaha11975
Michigan State11976
Northern Iowa11977
UCLA11978
Texas Woman's11979
Texas A&M11982

Championships & appearances by school

SchoolChampionships
Title Games
WCWS Appearances
WCWS Appearances
UCLA‡1222321978, 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
Arizona814271974, 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
Arizona State44191971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018
Oklahoma46171975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
California13151980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012
Washington14141996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019
Michigan12131982, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016
Alabama12122000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
Fresno State15121982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999
Oklahoma State01121977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2011, 2019
Texas A&M36121979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2007, 2008, 2017
Northern Colorado03111969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
South Carolina00111972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1989, 1997
Florida State11101987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018
Florida25102008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
Missouri State12101969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
Nebraska Omaha11101969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
Nebraska‡0091970, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1998, 2002, 2013
Cal State Fullerton1381980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 1987, 1995
Illinois State0281969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1981
Western Illinois0081970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
Oregon0081976, 1980, 1989, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Tennessee0272005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015
Missouri0071981, 1983, 1991, 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011
Cal Poly Pomona0071978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989
Kansas0071973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1992
Michigan State1161973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981
Louisiana 0061993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008, 2014
LSU0062001, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017
Massachusetts0061974, 1978, 1980, 1992, 1997, 1998
Long Beach State0051986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Northwestern0151984, 1985, 1986, 2006, 2007
Texas0051998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2013
Utah0051976, 1982, 1985, 1991, 1994
Creighton0051969, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986
Wayne State 0051970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
Utah State2241978, 1980, 1981, 1984
Northern Iowa1241973, 1975, 1976, 1977
Indiana0141979, 1980, 1983, 1986
DePaul0041999, 2000, 2005, 2007
Iowa0041995, 1996, 1997, 2001
Georgia0042009, 2010, 2016, 2018
Oregon State0041977, 1978, 1979, 2006
Southern Illinois 0041970, 1971, 1977, 1978
South Dakota State0041971, 1972, 1973, 1974
Luther 0041970, 1971, 1972, 1974
John F. Kennedy 3331969, 1970, 1971
Texas Woman's1131975, 1978, 1979
Baylor0042007, 2011, 2014, 2017
Minnesota0031976, 1978, 2019
Louisiana Tech0031983, 1985, 1986
Adelphi0031984, 1985, 1988
UNLV0031990, 1991, 1995
Western Michigan0031980, 1981, 1982
Kearney State 0031969, 1970, 1971
Minot State0031970, 1971, 1972
Emporia State0031971, 1972, 1979
Weber State0031973, 1974, 1975
North Dakota State0031973, 1974, 1975
Iowa State0121971, 1973
Cal State–Northridge0121993, 1994
Princeton0021995, 1996
Southern Miss0021999, 2000
Stanford0022001, 2004
Central Michigan0021982, 1987
Minnesota–Duluth0021970, 1971
Midland Lutheran 0021970, 1971
New Mexico0021980, 1981
Rutgers0021979, 1981
Concordia 0021970, 1971
Upper Iowa0021970, 1971
Eastern Illinois0021971, 1974
Central Missouri0021971, 1972
Ball State0021973, 1975
Indiana State0021974, 1976
East Stroudsburg State 0021975, 1976
Northern State 0021975, 1976
Texas–Arlington0021976, 1977
Sacramento State0021976, 1977
Auburn0122015, 2016
Connecticut0011993
Hawaii0012010
Illinois–Chicago0011994
Kent State0011990
Kentucky0012014
Northern Illinois0011988
Pacific 0011983
South Florida0012012
Toledo0011989
Virginia Tech0012008
St. Petersburg Junior College 0011969
Black Hills State 0011969
Midwestern 0011970
Parsons 0011971
Wartburg 0011971
Wisconsin State University–Eau Claire0011971
South Dakota0011971
Southwest Baptist 0011971
Buena Vista 0011971
Simpson 0011971
University of Tokyo–Nihon0111972
Keene State 0011972
Purdue0011972
West Georgia0011974
Golden West College 0011974
Winona State 0011974
Nassau Community College 0011974
Oregon College of Education0011975
Northwest Missouri State0011975
Ohio0011975
Mankato State 0011975
Tarkio 0011976
Northwestern Oklahoma State0011976
Mayville State 0011976
West Chester 0011977
Springfield 0011977
Portland State0011978
Stephen F. Austin0011978
Chapman 0011979
Pittsburgh0012015
New Mexico State0011981
Ohio State0011982
Rhode Island0011982
U.S. International 0011982

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

Championships & appearances by conference

This listing excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1982.
ConferenceChampionships
Title Game/Series Appearances
WCWS Appearances
Pac-12243989
SEC31044
Big 124633
Big Ten1324
Big West1419
ACC1110
Big Eight 12
WAC1211
Atlantic 106
Southwest 245
Conference USA5
Sun Belt6
CCAA4
MAC4
Metro4
Southland3
Big East3
Ivy2
Missouri Valley2
Independent1
Summit League1
NorPac 13
North Star 1
WCAA 336

;Notes