2018 NCAA Division I softball tournament explained

Year:2018
Teams:64
Wcwsballpark:ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
City:Oklahoma City
Champions:Florida State
Titlecount:1st
Runner-Up:Washington
Wcwscount:13
Coach:Lonni Alameda
Coachcount:1st
Mop:Jessie Warren
Mopteam:Florida State
Television:ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN3

The 2018 NCAA Division I softball tournament was held from May 18 through June 6, 2018 as the final part of the 2018 NCAA Division I softball season. Thirty-two teams were awarded automatic bids as champions of their conferences, and the remaining 32 were selected at-large by the NCAA Division I softball selection committee. The tournament culminated with eight teams playing in the 2018 Women's College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. This was the first year since the 2010 Women's College World Series that neither the Florida Gators nor the Oklahoma Sooners made the Championship Series. The Florida State Seminoles played in their first Women's College World Series Championship Series and became the first ACC team to make the Championship Series. The Washington Huskies made their fourth appearance in the Championship Series.

Automatic bids

The Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12, and West Coast Conference bids were awarded to the regular-season champion. All other conferences have the automatic bid go to the conference tournament winner.

Conference School Best finish Reference
Regionals
(2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2017)
Regionals
(2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
WCWS
(1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2016)
Regionals
(2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Kennesaw State1st Appearance
1st
(2000, 2013, 2016, 2017)
WCWS
(1999, 2000, 2005, 2007)
Regionals
(1993, 1995, 2008)
Regionals
(2002, 2011)
WCWS
(1976, 1978)
1st
(1986)
Super Regionals
(2012)
Regionals
(2000)
WCWS
(1994)
Regionals
(2007, 2011, 2012)
Regionals
(2014)
1st Appearance
Super Regionals
(2005)
Regionals
(2008)
1st Appearance
Regionals
(2017)
Super Regionals
(2009)
3rd
(2014, 2017)
Regionals
(1996, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016)
1st
(2014, 2015)
Regionals
(1997)
Regionals
(1994, 2005, 2010, 2016, 2017)
1st Appearance
Super Regionals
(2009)
Regionals
(1999, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017)
Regionals
(2011, 2015, 2017)
Super Regionals
(2010)

National seeds

16 National Seeds were announced on the Selection Show Sunday, May 13 at 10 p.m. EDT on ESPN2.[1] The 16 national seeds host the Regionals. Teams in italics advanced to Super Regionals. Teams in bold advance to Women's College World Series.1. (47–7)
2. (50–8)
3. (50–4)
4. (50–3)
5. Washington (44–8)
6. Florida State (47–10)
7. (43–11)
8. (43–11)
9. (45–14)
10. (45–12)
11. (41–14)
12. Alabama (33–18)
13. (39–15)
14. (40–14)
15. (40–16)
16. (31–19)

Regionals and Super Regionals

The Regionals took place May 17–20, 2018. One regional- Eugene, Oregon, took place May 17–19, 2018, because of BYU's no-Sunday-play policy; all other regionals occurred May 18–20, 2018. The Super Regionals took place from May 24–27, 2018.

Gainesville Super Regional

Women's College World Series

The Women's College World Series was held May 31 through June 6, 2018, in Oklahoma City.

Participants

School Conference Record (conference) Head coach WCWS appearances†
(including 2018 WCWS) 		WCWS best finish†* WCWS W–L record†
(excluding 2018 WCWS)
48–11 (16–8) 12
(last: 2013) 		1st
(2008, 2011) 		17–16
55–9 (20–4) 9
(last: 2017) 		1st
(2014, 2015) 		25–14
52–11 (21–3) 10
(last: 2016) 		3rd
(2002, 2016) 		8–17
48–11 (16–8) 4
(last: 2016) 		3rd
(2009, 2010) 		5–6
55–3 (18–0) 12
(last: 2017) 		1st
(2000, 2013, 2016, 2017) 		27-15
52–8 (21–3) 6
(last: 2017) 		3rd
(2014, 2017) 		6–10
55–5 (20–4) 28
(last: 2017) 		1st
(1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995*, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2010) 		96–34
49–8 (15–8) 13
(last: 2017) 		1st
(2009) 		21–19
† = From NCAA Division I Softball Championship Results

Bracket

All-tournament Team

The following players were members of the Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team.

Position Player School
P style=UCLA
style=Oklahoma
style=Washington
C Taylor Pack style=UCLA
Anna Shelnutt style=Florida State
2B Sydney Sherrill style=Florida State
3B & MOP style=Florida State
SS style=Washington
OF style=UCLA
Trysten Melhart style=Washington
U style=Oklahoma
Meghan King style=Florida State
Elizabeth Mason style=Florida State

Championship Game

[2]

SchoolTop BatterStats.
Florida State SeminolesElizabeth Mason (DP)2-3 3RBIs HR K
Washington HuskiesNoelle Hee (DP)1-2 RBI
SchoolPitcherIP H R ER BB SO AB BF
Florida State SeminolesMeghan King (W)7.0 5 3 1 0 4 25 28
Washington HuskiesTaran Alvelo (L)3.1 7 7 6 1 4 16 18
Washington HuskiesGabbie Plain2.2 2 1 1 2 1 10 11

Schedule

GameTime*Matchup#TelevisionAttendance
Thursday, May 31
111:00 a.m.No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Arizona State ESPN8,561
21:30 p.m.No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Washington
36:00 p.m.No. 2 Florida vs. No. 7 GeorgiaESPN28,472
48:30 p.m.No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 6 Florida State
Friday, June 1
56:00 p.m.No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 WashingtonESPN9,311
68:30 p.m.No. 3 UCLA vs No. 2 Florida
Saturday, June 2
711:00 a.m.No. 8 Arizona State vs. No. 4 OklahomaESPN8,728
81:30 p.m.No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 7 Georgia
96:00 p.m.No. 2 Florida vs. No. 4 Oklahoma8,728
108:30 p.m.No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 6 Florida State
Sunday, June 3
1112:00 p.m.No. 5 Washington vs. No. 4 OklahomaESPN8,932
122:30 p.m.No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 6 Florida State
13* 6:00 p.m.*No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 6 Florida StateESPN26,903
14*8:30 p.m.*Not Necessary
Monday, June 4
Finals, G16:00 p.m.No. 5 Washington vs. No. 6 Florida StateESPN8,152
Tuesday, June 5
Finals, G27:00 p.m.No. 5 Washington vs. No. 6 Florida StateESPN8,123
Wednesday, June 6*
Finals, G3*7:00 p.m.ESPN–
  • Game times in CDT. # – Rankings denote tournament seed.* = if necessary

Record by conference

Conference
  1. of Bids
RecordWin %
ACC211–4
Pac-12733–13
Big 12411–8
SEC1343–28
Big Ten58–10
American45–8
Big West23–4
Sun Belt24–4
Big South12–2
MAC12–2
Missouri Valley12–2
Ohio Valley12–2
CAA22–4
Other195–38
The columns RF, SR, WS, NS, F, and NC respectively stand for the Regional Finals, Super Regionals, College World Series Teams, National Semi-Finals, Finals, and National Champion.

Media coverage

Radio

Westwood One provided nationwide radio coverage of the championship series. It was streamed online at westwoodsports.com, through TuneIn, and on SiriusXM. John Sadak made his softball radio debut and joined returning analyst Leah Amico for Westwood One.

Television

ESPN holds exclusive rights to the tournament. They aired games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, and ESPN3. For the second time in the history of the women's softball tournament ESPN covered every regional.

Broadcast assignments

Regionals[3]

Super Regionals[4]

Women's College World Series[5]

Regionals

Super Regionals

Women's College World Series Finals

Notes and References

  1. Web site: It's Absolute #MAYhem on ESPN for College Softball's Biggest Month with More than 70 Conference Games, 11 Championships in Four Days. ESPN Media Zone . 2018-05-07.
  2. Web site: National Champions!!! . Seminoles.com . 2018-06-05 . 2018-06-09.
  3. Web site: The Field is Set! ESPN Covers Every Game from All 16 NCAA Division I Softball Regionals. ESPN Media Zone . 2018-05-16.
  4. Web site: ESPN to Televise Every Game of NCAA Division I Softball Super Regionals for 12th Consecutive Season. ESPN Media Zone . 2018-05-23.
  5. Web site: All Roads Lead to OKC: ESPN Presents Every Inning of the Women's College World Series. ESPN Media Zone . 2018-05-30.
  6. Web site: Women's College World Series Best of Three Championship Series Live on ESPN; For the First Time, Second-Screen Viewing Option Added on ESPN3. ESPN Media Zone . 2018-06-04.

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