After starting with 64 teams last week, eight remain in the NCAA softball tournament following a thrilling weekend of Super Regional action. The attention now turns to Oklahoma City for the 2024 Women’s College World Series now that the field is officially set.
Five more bids were on the line Sunday as if-necessary games filled the slate. While weather tried to get in the way of some matchups, there was no shortage of excitement throughout the weekend of Super Regionals as teams looked to punch their ticket to the WCWS.
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Here are the teams who are gearing up to head to Oklahoma City. The 2024 Women’s College World Series gets underway May 30 and runs through June 6.
Teams listed in order of final scores.
Oklahoma
The first team to punch its ticket to the 2024 Women’s College World Series was the three-time reigning champion. Oklahoma swept Florida State in the Norman Super Regional to make its eighth consecutive trip to Oklahoma City.
The No. 2-seeded Sooners handled the Seminoles with ease in Game 1 and completed the two-game sweep with a 4-2 victory on Friday to advance in the NCAA Tournament. OU’s hopes for an unprecedented four-peat are still alive heading into yet another WCWS berth.
Oklahoma State
The state of Oklahoma will be well-represented at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Oklahoma State is also heading to the Women’s College World Series after sweeping the Stillwater Super Regional.
The Cowgirls didn’t waste much time winning the first game against Arizona, getting the 8-0 victory via run rule in five innings. The next game went all seven innings, but OK State still dominated en route to the 10-4 victory to return to the WCWS for the fifth straight year.
UCLA
UCLA was the third team to punch its ticket to the 2024 Women’s College World Series and the last to do so via a two-game sweep. The Bruins allowed just one run through two games against Georgia to return to Oklahoma City after missing out last season.
UCLA left no room for doubt in the first game of the Los Angeles Super Regional, shutting out the Bulldogs to get the 8-0 win. It was another strong showing in Game 2 as the Bruins cruised to the 6-1 victory to return to the WCWS.
Florida
Saturday’s slate of Super Regional games featured five if-necessary matchups as teams looked to keep their seasons going. The first came in Gainesville as Florida knocked off Baylor to make it back to the Women’s College World Series after missing out last year.
UF defeated Baylor in the first game of the weekend, but the Bears held on to win Game 2 to force the if-necessary contest. Keagan Rothrock came through for the Gators, though, throwing a complete game as Florida pulled off the 4-2 victory to clinch its 12th WCWS appearance.
Duke
For the first time in Duke history, the Blue Devils are going to OKC. They pushed Missouri in the Columbia Super Regional and, thanks a huge showing in extra innings, are making their first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance.
D’Auna Jennings helped lead the charge in the ninth inning, hitting just her second career home run to break the scoreless tie. Duke scored four runs as a whole in the frame, and the final one was the difference after Missouri scored three in the bottom half to make things interesting.
Alabama
Alabama didn’t waste any time taking a lead against Tennessee, thanks to one swing from Riley Valentine. The Crimson Tide catcher hit a grand slam in the top of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead, but the weather delayed the rest of the game – an eventual 4-1 victory.
The No. 3-seeded Lady Vols started the Knoxville Super Regional with a 3-2 victory, but Alabama won an all-out battle in Game 2 to eventually win in 14 innings. That set up Sunday’s if-necessary game, and the long wait was worth it for the Crimson Tide, which sealed a 15th trip to the WCWS.
Texas
For No. 1 seed Texas, the journey to Oklahoma City was far from an easy one. The Longhorns had their backs against the wall after losing Game 1 against Texas A&M and trailing throughout Game 2, but ultimately did enough to return to the Women’s College World Series.
Texas A&M won the first game of the series 6-5, but Texas rallied to win a wild Game 2 in extra innings to knot up the series and force a decisive Game 3. The Longhorns survived another late scare on Sunday night, but ultimately held on to punch their ticket to the WCWS yet again.
Stanford
Stanford was on the wrong end of an offensive outburst in Game 1 of its Super Regional against LSU, but the Cardinal flipped the script the rest of the way. Now, they’re heading to the 2024 Women’s College World Series after locking up the final bid.
Stanford defeated LSU 3-0 in Game 2, but erupted in Game 3. The Cardinal scored seven runs in the seventh inning to eventually come away with the 8-0 run-rule victory over the Tigers in six innings – officially locking up the final spot in the WCWS field.
The 2024 Women’s College World Series is set to begin May 30 in Oklahoma City, with the remaining eight teams competing in a double-elimination format. Then, the championship series will feature a Best of 3 series for the national title.
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