The 2014 NCAA Division I softball tournament was held from May 15 through June 5, 2014 as the final part of the 2014 NCAA Division I softball season. The 64 NCAA Division I college softball teams were selected out of an eligible 293 teams on May 11, 2014. 32 teams were awarded an automatic bid as champions of their conference, and 32 teams were selected at-large by the NCAA Division I Softball Selection Committee. The tournament culminated with eight teams playing in the 2014 Women's College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
New to the tournament This season the number of automatic bids increased from 31 to 32. The change occurred after the original Big East Conference split along football lines into a new non-football Big East Conference and the football-sponsoring American Athletic Conference. Also new this season was the WCC, which began sponsoring softball after the Pacific Tigers returned to the conference. The WCC replaced the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, which dissolved after all its members joined either the WCC or the WAC.
Automatic bids The Big 12, Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12, and West Coast Conference bids went to the regular season champion. All other conferences had the automatic bid go to the conference tournament winner. Conference School American ACC America East Atlantic 10 Atlantic Sun Big 12 Big East Big Sky Southern Utah Big South Big Ten Big West Colonial Conference USA Horizon Ivy Mid-American Metro Atlantic Mid-Eastern Missouri Valley Mountain West Northeast Ohio Valley SIU Edwardsville Pac–12 Patriot SEC Southern Southland SWAC Texas Southern Summit Sun Belt Louisiana–Lafayette WAC Utah Valley WCC BYU
National seeds Teams in italics advanced to super regionals. Teams in bold advanced to Women's College World Series.
Alabama
Florida Louisiana–Lafayette
Regionals and super regionals The Regionals took place May 15–18 with Seattle being May 15–17 and all other regionals May 16–18. The super regionals took place from May 22–25.
Eugene Super Regional
Tallahassee Super Regional
Gainesville Super Regional
Athens Super Regional
Los Angeles Super Regional
Lafayette Super Regional
Norman Super Regional
Tuscaloosa Super Regional
Women's College World Series The Women's College World Series was held May 29 through June 4, 2014 in Oklahoma City.
Participants School Conference Record (conference) Head coach WCWS appearances† (including 2014 WCWS) WCWS best finish† WCWS W–L record† (excluding 2014 WCWS) Alabama SEC 50–11 (19–5) Patrick Murphy 9(last: 2012) 1st(2012) 13–15 Big 12 47–14 (13–5) Glenn Moore 3(last 2011) 3rd(2011) 3–4 Florida SEC 49–12 (15–9) Tim Walton 6(last 2013) 2nd(2009, 2011) 12–11 ACC 54–7 (24–3) Lonni Alameda 8(last 2004) 3rd(2002) 6–14 SEC 47–18 (13–11) Rachel Lawson 1 — — Louisiana–Lafayette Sun Belt 49–8–1 (19–1) Michael Lotief 6(last 2008) 3rd(1993) 6–10 Big 12 50-11 (16-2) Patty Gasso 9(last 2013) 1st(2000, 2013) 16–12 Pac-12 54–7–1 (20–3–1) Mike White 3(last 2012) 5th(1989, 2012) 2–4 † = From NCAA Division I Softball Championship Results
Bracket
Championship Series
School Top Batter Stats. Florida Kristi Merritt (CF) 1-4 3RBIs HR Alabama Kaila Hunt (2B) 2-4 2RBIs HR 3B K
School Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Florida Lauren Haeger 3.0 5 2 2 0 1 15 15 Florida Delanie Gourley (W) 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 7 8 Florida Hannah Rogers (SV) 2.0 2 1 1 0 0 8 8 Alabama Jackie Traina (L) 1.1 6 5 5 1 0 10 11 Alabama Sydney Littlejohn 4.2 6 1 0 1 1 20 21
Media coverage
Radio Westwood One provided nationwide radio coverage of the championship series, which was streamed online at westwoodsports.com and through TuneIn. Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico provided the call for Westwood One.
Television ESPN carried every game from the Women's College World Series across the ESPN Networks (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU). The ESPN Networks also carried select regional matches and every super regional match utilizing ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3. Outside of the ESPN Networks Regional matches, Pac-12 Network picked up all Oregon matches in the Eugene region and BTN picked up the Sunday championship games in the Minneapolis Region.
Broadcast assignments
Regionals Ann Schatz & Tammy Blackburn - Eugene, OR (Oregon games) Cara Capuano & Leah O'Brien-Amico - Tuscaloosa, AL Tracy Warren & Amanda Freed - Los Angeles, CA Melissa Lee & Kayla Braud - Lafayette, LA Mark Neely & Jenny Dalton-Hill - Norman, OK Pam Ward & Michele Mary Smith - Tallahassee, FL Beth Mowins & Jessica Mendoza - Tempe, AZ Adam Amin & Amanda Scarborough - Tucson, AZ Lisa Byington & Jennie Ritter - Minneapolis, MN (Games 6 & 7) Women's College World Series Pam Ward or Beth Mowins; Jessica Mendoza or Michele Smith; Holly Rowe
Super regionals Joe Davis & Leah O'Brien-Amico - Eugene, OR Adam Amin & Amanda Scarborough - Tuscaloosa, AL Holly Rowe & Amanda Freed - Los Angeles, CA Cara Capuano & Cheri Kempf - Athens, GA Mark Neely & Jenny Dalton-Hill - Gainesville, FL Melissa Lee & Kayla Braud - Lafayette, LA Beth Mowins & Jessica Mendoza - Norman, OK Pam Ward & Michele Mary Smith - Tallahassee, FL Women's College World Series championship series Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe
References
External links Women's College World Series 2014 official home page Women's College World Series 2014 official bracket