1982 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The finals of the 1982 NCAA Division I softball tournament were held from May 27 through May 30.^[1] 16 Division I college softball teams met in the NCAA tournament's first round at campus sites. After having played their way through the regular season and first round (and for Oklahoma State, a conference tournament, an AIAW regional title and double losses to Texas A&M in the AIAW Women's College World Series final on May 25), the eight advancing teams played in the NCAA Women's College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. UCLA won the title. Historian Bill Plummer III wrote, "With their 77-8 season record, Texas A&M could have been a contender in Omaha − maybe even the top seed − against perennial softball powers like UCLA and Fresno State. The Aggies had been invited to the NCAA's first national tournament, but chose not to go. A&M coach Bob Brock had high respect for the eleven-year-old AIAW, even as the NCAA began to overshadow it. Out of a sense of loyalty to the AIAW, Brock said, his school chose the 1982 Norman championship over the NCAA's first in Omaha."^[2]: 63

1982 NCAA Division I
softball tournament

Teams	8
Finals site	Seymour Smith Park Omaha, NE
Champions	UCLA (1st NCAA (2nd overall) WCWS title)
Runner-up	Fresno State (1st WCWS Appearance)
Winning coach	Sharron Backus (1st NCAA (2nd overall) WCWS title)
NCAA Division I softball tournament 1983 →

Regionals

Northeast Regional Western Michigan 210 0 7 Adelphi 0 1 0 Western Michigan qualifies for WCWS, 2–1

Atlantic Regional Cal State Fullerton 4 11 — Bowling Green 1 0 — Cal State Fullerton qualifies for WCWS, 2–0.

South Regional Creighton 7 3 — South Carolina 0 2 — Creighton qualifies for WCWS, 2–0.

Mideast Regional Nebraska 111 0 4 Missouri 0 1 1 Nebraska qualifies for WCWS, 2–1.

Midwest Regional Oklahoma State 19 311 — Cal Poly Pomona 0 2 — Oklahoma State qualifies for WCWS, 2–0.

Central Regional UCLA 4 5 — Wyoming 0 0 — UCLA qualifies for WCWS, 2–0.

West Regional California 1 1 1 Arizona State 0 38 2 Arizona State qualifies for WCWS, 2–1.

Northwest Regional Fresno State 29 1 4 Pacific 0 5 0 Fresno State qualifies for WCWS, 2–1.

Women's College World Series

Participants

These eight teams met at Seymour Smith Park to decide the 1982 NCAA Division I Softball Championship:

• Arizona State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Creighton
• Fresno State
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma State
• UCLA
• Western Michigan

Bracket

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final					Semifinals					Final
	Arizona State		29
	Cal State Fullerton		0
						Arizona State		2
						Nebraska		0
	Creighton		2
	Nebraska		38
											Arizona State		0
											UCLA		1
	Oklahoma State		1
																UCLA		110
	UCLA		213[3]
						UCLA		1								Cal State Fullerton		0
						Western Michigan		0
	Fresno State		0
	Western Michigan		5
																					UCLA		28
						Lower round 1					Lower round 2										Fresno State		0
											Western Michigan		0
						Cal State Fullerton		48			Cal State Fullerton		18
																Arizona State		1
						Creighton		1
																Fresno State		4
											Nebraska		0
						Oklahoma State		0			Fresno State		1
						Fresno State		114

Championship Game

^[4]

School	Top Batter	Stats.
UCLA Bruins	Debbie Hauer (1B)	0-3 RBI 2Ks
Fresno State Bulldogs	Sandi Taylor (2B)	1-2 BB

School	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AB	BF
UCLA Bruins	Debbie Doom (W)	8.0	2	0	0	1	12	26	27
Fresno State Bulldogs	Wende Ward (L)	8.0	1	2	1	4	8	24	28

See also

• 1982 NCAA Division II softball tournament
• 1982 NCAA Division III softball tournament
• 1982 NAIA softball tournament
• 1982 AIAW Women's College World Series
• 1982 AIAW slow-pitch softball tournament
• 1982 NCAA Division I baseball tournament

References

1. "NCAA Championship Archives, 1982 Softball Women's Division I". Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
2. Plummer III, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
3. "Cowgirls Lose 2-1 to Bruins". May 28, 1982. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
4. "1982 Women's Division I Softball College World Series Game 14". Ncaa.org. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2018.