NCAA Division I softball tournament

The NCAA Division I softball tournament is held annually in May/June and features 64 college softball teams in the United States, culminating in the Women's College World Series (WCWS), which is played in Oklahoma City.

Tournament play and team selection The tournament is different from many college tournaments in that it features four tiers of competition and a loss does not necessarily eliminate a team from contention. In fact, throughout the entire tournament a team can lose as many as four games and still be crowned champions.

A total of 64 teams compete in the tournament. 32 teams gain automatic entry into the tournament while the other 32 are selected by the Division I Softball committee. From this field of 64, 16 teams will be given "national seeds" and placed at one of the assigned regional sites, often the home field of each national seed.

The first round of the tournament, called "regionals", consists of 16 locations that include four teams competing in a double elimination bracket. The winner of each regional moves on to the second round, the "super regionals."

For the super regionals, the regional containing overall #1 seed will be matched up with the regional containing the overall #16 seed, the #2 seed regional will be matched up with the #15 seed regional, and so on. The higher seed of the two teams usually hosts the best-of-three series, with the winner moving on to the Women's College World Series.

The final eight teams meet at Devon Park in Oklahoma City in the Women's College World Series. The WCWS is further divided into two sections. The first part resembles the regional round, as teams are broken in two groups of four to play in a double-elimination bracket. The winners of each bracket then meet in a championship series similar to the super regional tier in that it is a best-of-three series. The winner of the WCWS is crowned national champion.

Team titles

Team No.Years 121982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, , 1999, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2019 8 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2007 2000, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 2 2025, 2026 2014, 2015 2008, 2011 1983, 1987 1 2018 2012 2009 2005 2002 1998 1986

Appearances by team Total columns School refers to the current name and branding of the softball team. Conference reflects each team's affiliation as of the 2027 season. Total appearances in the NCAA Tournament, not counting vacated appearances. Finished in the top 16 of the tournament: top 2 in a Regional (1982 through 2004) or won a Regional (2005 to present). Total appearances in the College World Series National Championships

Table entries National Champion National Runner-up Played in the College World Series with the given placement. All World Series have had 2 teams finish in 5th and two teams finish in 7th. Since 1995, all have had 2 teams finish in 3rd, but before then, some years would have separate 3rd and 4th place teams, depending on how the bracket played out.

1982 to 2004 Regional tournaments consisted of 2 to 8 teams in double elimination brackets. Depending on how the tournament played out, there could be two teams tying for 3rd, 5th, or 7th place. 2nd place in Regional tournament 3rd place in Regional tournament 4th place in Regional tournament 5th or 6th place in Regional tournament 7th or 8th place in Regional tournament (only 2003 and 2004)

2005 to present All regional tournaments consist of 4-team double elimination brackets, with distinct placements for every team. The 16 Regional winners faced off in Super Regionals, with 8 winners advancing to the College World Series. Lost in the Super Regionals 2nd place in Regional tournament 3rd place in Regional tournament 4th place in Regional tournament

Starting in 2003, the NCAA seeded the top 8 teams, which are shown in . Starting in 2005, the next 8 seeds are shown with . These seeded teams are not always the host of the Regional, but in recent years, the list of hosts aligns very closely to the list of top seeds.

School Conference # 16 WS CH Big Ten 41 36 34 12 3 3 3 5 3 3 5 2 • 2 5 7 5 3 5 3 • 5 5 5 Big 12 39 35 25 8 2 2 3 3 7 5 3 3 3 5 7 7 3 5 7 5 2 2 SEC 32 28 18 8 2 2 2 3 2 ◦ 5 7 5 5 2 3 7 5 3 3 SEC 26 17 13 2 • 3 • ◦ ◦ • 3 3 5 2 5 5 7 5 2 3 7 Big 12 33 21 12 23 2 7 2 2 2 2 3 3 7 2 3 3 • 3 5 7 5 3 7 2 2 2 3 7 2 3 • SEC 27 13 9 2 7 ◦ • • 3 3 5 2 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 SEC 36 18 8 2 2 5 3 2 2 • • ◦ 2 2 ◦ 3 7 3 2 2 2 2 2 7 • 3 2 2 2 2 SEC 27 23 16 1 ◦ 5 3 ◦ 7 2 5 7 3 3 3 5 7 3 3 2 7 5 3 Big Ten 32 24 15 1 3 2 3 3 5 2 3 5 7 3 2 7 3 2 3 3 2 5 3 3 3 ACC 38 24 12 1 2 7 3 3 3 5 7 7 • 2 2 • 2 2 3 ◦ 5 2 • 3 3 3 2 3 7 3 2 2 ACC 36 24 12 12 3 2 2 2 2 2 5 2 3 3 5 2 3 3 7 5 7 3 5 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 Big Ten 31 21 12 1 2 2 7 7 5 5 ◦ 2 7 7 7 5 2 5 5 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 Pac-12 34 19 12 1 2 5 2 2 5 3 3 2 5 2 2 3 5 2 ◦ • 3 ◦ 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 • 3 3 3 Big West 33 18 6 13 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 2 3 ◦ 2 2 • 2 3 • 3 2 2 2 • 3 3 2 3 Big 12 28 19 12 -7 2 2 3 3 2 2 4 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 7 2 2 3 5 5 3 5 7 2 SEC 24 15 10 - ◦ ◦ • 3 3 2 2 3 2 7 7 2 3 2 3 3 3 Big Ten 28 14 8 -5 3 3 5 3 3 2 5 2 2 3 5 3 2 3 2 • 3 3 2 7 3 2 3 2 5 Big Ten 26 16 7 - 5 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 5 3 7 3 5 2 2 2 5 3 Sun Belt 33 19 6 - 2 3 2 3 2 5 5 2 2 • 2 • 7 2 3 2 • 5 2 2 7 2 2 2 2 2 2 SEC 27 16 6 - 2 3 2 3 2 ◦ 3 2 2 3 2 5 2 2 3 3 5 • 2 3 SEC 27 15 6 -2 7 5 7 • • 2 ◦ ◦ 2 2 7 7 5 2 • 2 2 2 3 Big Ten 23 11 6 - 3 5 7 2 3 ◦ • 3 • 2 2 • 3 2 3 7 2 3 SEC 24 16 5 - 3 • 2 2 2 3 3 2 5 2 7 2 7 2 Big West 26 8 5 - 5 2 2 2 5 4 5 7 3 3 3 3 ◦ ◦ 3 • 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 • • ACC 23 11 4 - 2 ◦ ◦ 3 3 ◦ 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 2 Big 12 17 10 4 - 2 7 2 7 2 5 • 3 2 ◦ ◦ 2 2 7 3 defunct 8 8 4 -2 2 7 4 2 2 3 5 Big East 21 7 4 - • • 2 2 3 7 3 2 3 ◦ 7 5 2 2 3 2 3 2 • • 3 Big 12 17 7 4 - 3 2 5 3 3 2 3 2 2 7 2 • 3 2 Big Ten 16 6 4 - 3 2 3 3 3 5 3 3 7 • 2 ◦ 2 • 2 • SEC 26 10 3 -2 4 2 7 3 3 2 7 3 3 ◦ 2 3 ◦ 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 Sun Belt 11 7 3 - 5 2 7 7 2 2 2 • 2 3 3 MAC 21 6 3 - 2 3 2 3 • 3 7 7 3 ◦ 3 3 3 ◦ • 2 2 2 • • D2 6 6 3 -2 5 5 2 7 2 Mountain West 9 5 3 - 5 7 3 2 2 3 • 3 • Pac-12 15 6 2 - 2 2 • 3 2 2 2 7 2 2 3 • • 2 7 Big East 12 5 2 -7 5 2 2 2 ◦ ◦ 3 • 3 • • Big West 14 4 2 - 2 5 2 3 • • • ◦ • ◦ • • • Big Ten 11 4 2 - 7 2 3 2 3 3 • 2 • 3 3 SEC 20 3 2 - ◦ ◦ 3 2 3 3 3 3 • 2 3 3 2 • 3 2 2 2 Big 12 8 3 2 - 2 • 2 2 3 2 Ivy League 13 2 2 - 3 7 7 ◦ ◦ 3 • • • • • 3 3 Sun Belt 4 2 2 - 7 3 ◦ ◦ SEC 16 8 1 - 2 3 3 5 2 2 3 3 2 West Coast 13 7 1 -2 5 2 2 2 2 • 2 ◦ ◦ • 2 • MAC 14 6 1 - 2 2 2 5 2 • 3 2 ◦ 3 • • ◦ • Big 12 13 6 1 - 2 2 2 7 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 SEC 15 5 1 - • 3 3 • 2 2 • • 2 3 7 Mountain West 11 5 1 - 2 2 3 2 ◦ 3 2 5 • 2 American 19 4 1 - 3 3 2 2 ◦ 3 2 • 7 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 Big East 10 4 1 - 2 3 3 2 5 2 • ◦ • 3 ACC 6 4 1 - 2 7 2 Big Ten 17 3 1 - 3 3 • 2 3 3 ◦ 3 2 2 2 2 7 2 3 3 ACC 15 3 1 - 3 3 3 7 2 2 3 • 2 2 3 2 2 SEC 10 3 1 - 2 2 2 2 2 • 7 2 Sun Belt 9 3 1 - • 3 3 3 2 3 3 SEC 20 2 1 - 3 ◦ ◦ ◦ 2 3 3 • • 3 3 3 • 2 2 2 3 2 MAC 4 2 1 -5 2 ◦ • Pac-12 4 2 1 - 7 3 3 2 Missouri Valley 12 1 1 - 7 3 3 3 3 ◦ ◦ 3 • 3 • • MAC 4 1 1 - 7 3 2 3 MAC 3 1 1 - 7 3 • Horizon 2 1 1 - 7 3 ACC 27 3 - - 3 2 • • ◦ 2 2 • ◦ 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 • 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 Big Ten 13 3 - - 2 2 ◦ 3 2 2 3 • 2 3 3 2 ACC 6 3 - - 2 3 2 CAA 18 2 - - 3 3 ◦ ◦ ◦ • 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 • Pac-12 15 2 - - 2 ◦ 2 3 • 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 • 3 ACC 14 2 - - 2 • 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 • 2 Big 12 13 2 - - 3 2 3 • 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 Big Ten 11 2 - - 2 2 • • • ◦ 2 2 • 2 3 Big 12 9 2 - - ◦ 2 3 3 3 3 2 Big Ten 4 2 - - 3 2 2 • Big 12 17 1 - - ◦ 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 • 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 Patriot 15 1 - - 2 ◦ ◦ 2 3 3 3 • • • • 3 3 • 3 Pac-12 13 1 - - ◦ 3 2 3 • 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 Missouri Valley 11 1 - - 3 2 3 3 3 3 • 3 • • 2 CUSA 10 1 - - • 2 • 3 • 2 3 2 • SWAC 10 1 - - ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ • • • • • Summit 10 1 - - • • 3 3 2 3 3 3 • Missouri Valley 9 1 - - 2 3 • • 3 2 • 3 2 CUSA 8 1 - - ◦ • 2 2 3 2 2 Big Ten 8 1 - - ◦ 2 • 2 3 2 3 • CUSA 7 1 - - 2 • • 3 • 3 3 American 7 1 - - 2 • 3 2 2 3 3 ACC 5 1 - - 3 3 2 2 American 5 1 - - 3 3 • 3 MAC 4 1 - -2 3 3 ◦ Mountain West 4 1 - - 3 2 • 3 Big Ten 4 1 - - 2 3 3 • Missouri Valley 3 1 - - 2 3 3 Southland 3 1 - - 3 2 • Pac-12 3 1 - - 2 ◦ 3 Big Ten 2 1 - - 2 • defunct 1 1 - -2 Mountain West 1 1 - - 2 Atlantic 10 1 1 - - 2 ACC 16 - - - • ◦ ◦ 2 • 3 • 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 • ACC 16 - - - ◦ 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 • • • 2 3 • Southern 13 - - - • ◦ 3 ◦ ◦ • • 2 • • • 3 American 11 - - - 3 ◦ 3 • • • 2 2 3 • 3 Patriot 11 - - - ◦ ◦ • 2 3 2 • • 3 • 3 American 11 - - - • • 2 2 3 • 2 • 2 3 2 Atlantic 10 11 - - - 2 3 3 • 2 • 3 • • • • Southland 10 - - - • 3 • 3 3 3 3 2 2 • NEC 10 - - - • ◦ ◦ • 3 • 2 • • • Big Ten 10 - - - 3 ◦ • 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 Metro 9 - - - 3 • ◦ ◦ • • 3 • • SWAC 9 - - - ◦ • 3 • • • • • • MAC 9 - - - • 3 3 3 • 3 2 3 3 Ivy League 8 - - - 3 ◦ • • 2 • • • SWAC 8 - - - • • • • • 3 • • America East 8 - - - • • 2 • 3 • • • Big South 8 - - - 3 3 3 3 3 • • 2 Sun Belt 7 - - - 2 2 2 2 3 2 • D3 7 - - - 3 • • • • 3 • CAA 6 - - - • 3 • 3 • 3 Sun Belt 6 - - - • 3 ◦ • 3 3 America East 6 - - - ◦ ◦ • • • • Metro 6 - - - • • • • 3 • Big Sky 6 - - - 3 • • 3 • • Southern 5 - - - • • • • 3 Southland 5 - - - • ◦ ◦ • • Ivy League 5 - - - ◦ ◦ ◦ • • Big South 5 - - - • 3 2 2 • Big Sky 5 - - - • • 3 • 3 Mountain West 5 - - - • 3 2 3 2 Ohio Valley 4 - - - 3 ◦ ◦ 3 Big West 4 - - - 3 • • • Missouri Valley 4 - - - • • 2 3 American 4 - - - ◦ 3 2 2 Big East 4 - - - ◦ • 3 • Horizon 4 - - - ◦ ◦ • • defunct 4 - - - ◦ • • 3 Big West 4 - - - ◦ • • 2 West Coast 4 - - - • 2 3 3 Southern 4 - - - • • 2 3 MEAC 4 - - - • • • • Metro 4 - - - • • • • ACC 4 - - - 3 2 3 2 CUSA 4 - - - 3 3 • • America East 3 - - - • ◦ • MAC 3 - - - • • 2 ACC 3 - - - 3 • • defunct 3 - - - • • • MAC 3 - - - • • 3 Patriot 3 - - - ◦ ◦ • Ohio Valley 3 - - - • 3 • Patriot 3 - - - ◦ ◦ • CUSA 3 - - - ◦ • 2 UAC 3 - - - • ◦ • CUSA 3 - - - ◦ 2 3 Southland 3 - - - ◦ ◦ 3 Sun Belt 3 - - - 3 • 3 Mountain West 3 - - - • 2 3 Big Sky 3 - - - • 3 • ASUN 3 - - - • 3 3 ASUN 3 - - - 2 2 3 West Coast 3 - - - • • 2 ACC 3 - - - • 3 2 SWAC 3 - - - • • • Missouri Valley 3 - - - • 3 • Sun Belt 3 - - - 3 3 3 CUSA 3 - - - 2 2 3 SWAC 3 - - - • • • America East 3 - - - • • • SWAC 3 - - - • • • SWAC 3 - - - • • • Big East 3 - - - 3 • 2 Ohio Valley 3 - - - • • • Summit 3 - - - 3 2 3 Southland 3 - - - 2 2 • Big 12 2 - - - 3 2 Sun Belt 2 - - - • • Sun Belt 2 - - - • 3 Ivy League 2 - - - • • Metro 2 - - - • ◦ Metro 2 - - - ◦ • SWAC 2 - - - ◦ ◦ D3 2 - - - ◦ • American 2 - - - ◦ • CAA 2 - - - 2 • Horizon 2 - - - 3 • Horizon 2 - - - • • Big West 2 - - - • 2 CUSA 2 - - - 3 3 Big South 2 - - - 2 • Big Ten 2 - - - 3 2 CAA 2 - - - • • Missouri Valley 2 - - - 3 • Big South 2 - - - 3 2 Metro 2 - - - 3 • Ohio Valley 2 - - - • • CAA 2 - - - • • ASUN 2 - - - 3 3 NEC 2 - - - 3 • Ivy League 2 - - - • • UAC 2 - - - • 3 Metro 2 - - - • • Pac-12 2 - - - • 2 CUSA 2 - - - • 3 CAA 2 - - - • • West Coast 2 - - - 3 3 MEAC 2 - - - • • Summit 2 - - - 3 3 CAA 2 - - - • • American 2 - - - 2 3 Big Sky 2 - - - • • Horizon 2 - - - • • 2 - - - 3 3 Big East 1 - - - 3 Sun Belt 1 - - - 3 Metro 1 - - - • Metro 1 - - - ◦ Missouri Valley 1 - - - ◦ UAC 1 - - - 3 Horizon 1 - - - • defunct 1 - - - • Southern 1 - - - • MEAC 1 - - - • Southland 1 - - - • SWAC 1 - - - • Patriot 1 - - - • Mountain West 1 - - - • ASUN 1 - - - 3 American 1 - - - 3 CAA 1 - - - • Ivy League 1 - - - • defunct 1 - - - • America East 1 - - - • Big South 1 - - - • Ohio Valley 1 - - - • Big West 1 - - - • Missouri Valley 1 - - - 3 ACC 1 - - - 2 Big East 1 - - - • Big East 1 - - - • Big West 1 - - - • Southern 1 - - - • Southern 1 - - - • Big Sky 1 - - - • Horizon 1 - - - • Atlantic 10 1 - - - • Missouri Valley 1 - - - • American 1 - - - 2 Atlantic 10 1 - - - • MEAC 1 - - - • Atlantic 10 1 - - - • Metro 1 - - - • Southern 1 - - - 2 ASUN 1 - - - 2 Atlantic 10 1 - - - • West Coast 1 - - - • MAC 1 - - - 3 Big West 1 - - - • Big Sky 1 - - - • Summit 1 - - - 3 NEC 1 - - - •

List of NCAA Division I teams with no appearances