1997 NCAA Division I
softball tournament
Teams32
Finals site
ChampionsArizona (5th title)
Runner-upUCLA (15th WCWS Appearance)
Winning coachMike Candrea (5th title)
MOPNancy Evans (Arizona)

The 1997 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the sixteenth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 1997, thirty-two Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of four teams, each in a double elimination format. The 1997 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 22 through May 26 and marked the conclusion of the 1997 NCAA Division I softball season. The event returned to Oklahoma City after a one-year hiatus, and it has remained there ever since. Arizona won their fifth NCAA championship by defeating UCLA 10–2 in the final game. Arizona pitcher Nancy Evans was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.[1][2]

Qualifying

Main article: 1997 NCAA Division I softball season

Regionals

Regional No. 1 - held at Tucson, Arizona

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Nebraska106
Arizona State1
Nebraska0
Arizona2
Arizona116
Rider2
Arizona5—
Nebraska1—
Lower round 1Lower final
Nebraska2
Arizona State126Arizona State1
Rider0

Arizona qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 2 - held at Columbia, South Carolina

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Kansas3
South Florida2
Kansas0
South Carolina1
South Carolina5
UNC Greensboro0
South Carolina1—
Kansas0—
Lower round 1Lower final
Kansas3
South Florida29South Florida1
UNC Greensboro0

South Carolina qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 3 - held at Iowa City, Iowa

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Utah3
Missouri1
Utah1
Iowa3
Iowa2
DePaul1
Iowa6—
DePaul2—
Lower round 1Lower final
Utah0
Missouri0DePaul2
DePaul1

Iowa qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 4 - held at Fresno, California

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Long Beach State3
Cal State Northridge0
Long Beach State2
Fresno State510
Fresno State7
California0
Fresno State9—
California3—
Lower round 1Lower final
Long Beach State1
Cal State Northridge2California3
California39

Fresno State qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 5 - held at Lafayette, Louisiana

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Southwestern Louisiana2
Northeast Louisiana1
Southwestern Louisiana4
UCLA1
UCLA3
Nicholls State0
Southwestern Louisiana00
UCLA953
Lower round 1Lower final
UCLA3
Northeast Louisiana1Northeast Louisiana0
Nicholls State0

UCLA qualifies for WCWS

Regional No. 6 - held at Ann Arbor, Michigan

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Central Michigan1
Michigan State0
Central Michigan0
Michigan3
Michigan1
Cleveland State0
Michigan14
Central Michigan380
Lower round 1Lower final
Central Michigan6
Michigan State6Michigan State4
Cleveland State0

Michigan qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 7 - held at Norman, Oklahoma

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
Oklahoma State2
Oklahoma0
Oklahoma State2
Washington5
Washington85
Southwest Missouri State0
Washington10—
Oklahoma State9—
Lower round 1Lower final
Oklahoma State5
Oklahoma7Oklahoma3
Southwest Missouri State2

Washington qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 8 - held at Amherst, Massachusetts

First RoundSemi-FinalsFinals
UMass2
Boston College0
UMass0
Colorado State2
Colorado State105
Brown0
Colorado State12
UMass338
Lower round 1Lower final
UMass4
Boston College6Boston College1
Brown2

UMass qualifies for WCWS.

Women's College World Series

Participants

School Conference Record Head coach WCWS appearances†
(Including 1997 WCWS)
Arizona Pac-10 57–4 Mike Candrea 10
Fresno State Western Athletic 52–12 Margie Wright 10
Iowa Big Ten 51–7 Gayle Blevins 3
UMass Atlantic 10 37–21–1 Elaine Sortino 2
Michigan Big Ten 55–14–1 Carol Hutchins 3
South Carolina SEC 63–3 Joyce Compton 3
UCLA Pac-10 45–12 Sue Enquist 15
Washington Pac-10 48–17 Teresa Wilson 2

†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.

Results

Bracket

First round Second round Semifinals Finals
             
1 Arizona 28
8 UMass 1
1 Arizona 214
5 UCLA 0
4 Fresno State 0
5 UCLA 28
1 Arizona 0 6
4 Fresno State 3 3
8 UMass 1
4 Fresno State 2
4 Fresno State 7
3 Iowa 6
1 Arizona 105
5 UCLA 2
3 Iowa 3
6 Michigan 2
3 Iowa 1
7 Washington 5
7 Washington 6
2 South Carolina 0
7 Washington 3 0
5 UCLA 4 1
6 Michigan 1
2 South Carolina 0
6 Michigan 3
5 UCLA 7

Game results

Date Game Winner Score Loser Notes
May 22 Game 1 Arizona 2 – 1 8 UMass
Game 2 UCLA 2 – 0 8 Fresno State
Game 3 Iowa 3 – 2 Michigan
Game 4 Washington 6 – 0 South Carolina
May 23 Game 5 Arizona 2 – 0 14 UCLA
Game 6 Washington 5 – 1 Iowa
May 24 Game 7 Fresno State 2 – 1 UMass UMass eliminated
Game 8 Michigan 1 – 0 South Carolina South Carolina eliminated
Game 9 Fresno State 7 – 6 Iowa Iowa eliminated
Game 10 UCLA 7 – 3 Michigan Michigan eliminated
May 25 Game 11 Fresno State 3 – 0 Arizona Fresno State forces the If Necessary Game (Game 13)
Game 12 UCLA 4 – 3 Washington UCLA forces the If Necessary Game (Game 14)
Game 13 Arizona 6 – 3 Fresno State Fresno State eliminated
Game 14 UCLA 1 – 0 Washington Washington eliminated
May 26 Championship Game Arizona 10 – 2 5 UCLA Arizona Wins 1997 WCWS

Championship Game

[3]

School Top Batter Stats.
Arizona Wildcats Nancy Evans (P) 1-3 3RBIs 2B BB
UCLA Bruins Julie Marshall (3B) 1-2 RBI HR
School Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
Arizona Wildcats Nancy Evans (W) 5.0 5 2 2 1 3 20 21
UCLA Bruins Christa Williams (L) 5.0 11 10 8 5 7 25 33

All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.[4]

Position Player Class School
P Jamie Graves Freshman Washington
Danielle Henderson Sophomore Massachusetts
Christa Williams Freshman UCLA
C Stacey Nuveman Freshman UCLA
1B Leah O'Brien Senior Arizona
Alleah Poulson Senior UCLA
2B Nina Lindenberg Junior Fresno State
Sara Pickering Senior Washington
SS Christy Hebert Senior Iowa
3B Melissa Gentile Freshman Michigan
OF Alison Johnsen Junior Arizona
MOP Nancy Evans Junior Arizona

References

  1. ^ 2015 WCWS Records: 1990s Brackets/Rosters/Stats (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  2. ^ 2015 WCWS Records: WCWS All-Time Results (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  3. ^ "1997 Women's Division I Softball College World Series Game 15". Ncaa.org. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  4. ^ 2015 WCWS Records: All-Time Tournament Records and Results (PDF). NCAA. p. 3. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
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