2015 NCAA Division I softball tournament

Last updated

2015 NCAA Division I
softball tournament
Teams64
Finals site
Champions Florida  (2nd title)
Runner-up Michigan (12th WCWS Appearance)
Winning coach Tim Walton  (2nd title)
MOP Lauren Haeger (Florida)

The 2015 NCAA Division I softball tournament was held from May 14 through June 3, 2015 as the final part of the 2015 NCAA Division I softball season. The 64 NCAA Division I college softball teams were selected out of an eligible 293 teams on May 10, 2015. Thirty-two teams were awarded an automatic bid as champions of their conference, and thirty-two teams were selected at-large by the NCAA Division I softball selection committee. The tournament culminated with eight teams playing in the 2015 Women's College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Contents

Automatic bids

The Big 12, Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12, and West Coast Conference bids were awarded to the regular season champion. All other conferences have the automatic bid go to the conference tournament winner.

ConferenceSchool
America East Binghamton [1]
American UCF [2]
ACC Florida State [3]
Atlantic 10 Fordham
Atlantic Sun USC Upstate [4]
Big 12 Oklahoma [5]
Big East St. John's
Big Sky Weber State
Big South Longwood
Big Ten Michigan
Big West Cal State Northridge [6]
Colonial Hofstra [7]
Conference USA Western Kentucky
Horizon Oakland
Ivy Dartmouth [8]
Mid-American Ball State
Metro Atlantic Fairfield
Mid-Eastern Florida A&M
Missouri Valley Indiana State
Mountain West Fresno State [9]
Northeast Central Connecticut State
Ohio Valley Tennessee Tech
Pac–12 Oregon
Patriot Lehigh
SEC Auburn [10]
Southern Chattanooga
Southland Central Arkansas [11]
SWAC Texas Southern
Summit North Dakota State
Sun Belt South Alabama
WAC New Mexico State [12]
WCC BYU [13]

National seeds

Teams in italics advanced to super regionals. Teams in bold advanced to Women's College World Series.

Regionals and super regionals

The Regionals took place May 14–17. The Eugene Region was held from May 14 through 16. All other regionals were held from May 15 through 17. The super regionals took place from May 21 through 24.

Gainesville Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
1 Florida 6
Florida A&M 0
1Florida7
Hofstra 0
Florida Atlantic 0
Hofstra 1
1Florida1(8)
Gainesville Regional
Florida Atlantic 0
Florida A&M 2
Florida Atlantic7
Hofstra 2
Florida Atlantic3(9)
1Florida71
Kentucky 0 0
16 Notre Dame 3
Ball State 6
Ball State 0
Kentucky5
Kentucky 5
Northwestern 4
Kentucky4
South Bend Regional
16 Notre Dame 3
16Notre Dame14(5)
Northwestern 5
Ball State 4
16Notre Dame15(5)

Knoxville Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
9 Florida State 5
Dartmouth 1
9Florida State2
UCF 1
South Carolina 1
UCF 5
9Florida State5
Tallahassee Regional
UCF 0
Dartmouth 1
South Carolina3
UCF5
South Carolina 2
9 Florida State 2 61
8Tennessee31 2
8 Tennessee 2
Longwood 0
8Tennessee9(5)
Utah 1
Utah 6
Virginia Tech 1
8Tennessee3
Knoxville Regional
Utah 1
Longwood6(8)
Virginia Tech 4
Utah2
Longwood 0

Baton Rouge Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
5 LSU 15(5)
Texas Southern 0
5 LSU 0
Arizona State 1
Nebraska 2
Arizona State 5
Arizona State 0 3
Baton Rouge Regional
5LSU54(9)
Texas Southern 0
Nebraska5
5LSU3(10)
Nebraska 2
5LSU8(5)10
12 Arizona 0 5
12 Arizona 4
St. John's 2
12Arizona5
Minnesota 1
Minnesota 10(6)
New Mexico State 2
12Arizona2 7(8)
Tucson Regional
Minnesota 56
St. John's 6
New Mexico State9
Minnesota2
New Mexico State 0

Auburn Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
13 Louisiana–Lafayette 11(5)
Weber State 0
13Louisiana–Lafayette3
Baylor 1
Mississippi State 4
Baylor 8
13Louisiana–Lafayette2 9(6)
Lafayette Regional
Baylor 61
Weber State 0
Mississippi State2
Baylor2
Mississippi State 0
13 Louisiana–Lafayette11 3
4Auburn12(8)6
4 Auburn 4
Tennessee Tech 1
4Auburn1
South Alabama 0
South Alabama 11(5)
Chattanooga 1
4Auburn7
Auburn Regional
South Alabama 4
Tennessee Tech8
Chattanooga 2
South Alabama9
Tennessee Tech 3

Ann Arbor Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
3 Michigan 9(6)
Oakland 1
3Michigan9
California 1
Pittsburgh 3
California 11(5)
3Michigan10
Ann Arbor Regional
Pittsburgh 3
Oakland 3
Pittsburgh6
Pittsburgh6
California 3
3Michigan107
14 Georgia 3 6
14 Georgia 6
Central Connecticut 1
14 Georgia 1
WKU2(14)
North Carolina 1
WKU 2
WKU 3 0
Athens Regional
14Georgia12(5)17(5)
Central Connecticut 0
North Carolina8(5)
North Carolina 5
14Georgia6

Tuscaloosa Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
11 Oklahoma 8(5)
Central Arkansas 0
11Oklahoma7
Texas A&M 5
Lehigh 1
Texas A&M 2
11Oklahoma2
Norman Regional
Texas A&M 0
Central Arkansas 0
Lehigh3
Texas A&M5
Lehigh 0
11 Oklahoma 50 3
6Alabama2 25
6 Alabama 8(6)
Fairfield 0
6Alabama9(5)
Washington 0
Washington 4
USC Upstate 1
6Alabama11
Tuscaloosa Regional
Washington 1
Fairfield 0
USC Upstate9(6)
Washington9(5)
USC Upstate 1

Los Angeles Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
7 UCLA 9(5)
Cal State Northridge 1
7UCLA4
Texas 1
San Diego State 3
Texas 8
7UCLA8(6)
Los Angeles Regional
San Diego State 0
Cal State Northridge 4
San Diego State5
Texas 3
San Diego State4(9)
7UCLA710
10 Missouri 4 6
10 Missouri 7
Indiana State 0
10Missouri5
Kansas 3
Kansas 1
Louisville 0
10Missouri7
Columbia Regional
Kansas 6
Indiana State2(8)
Louisville 1
Kansas2
Indiana State 0

Eugene Super Regional

Round 1 Round 2 Regional finals Super regionals
               
15 James Madison 10(5)
Binghamton 1
15 James Madison 0
NC State2
Fordham 5
NC State 12
NC State2
Harrisonburg Regional
Fordham 1
Binghamton 0
Fordham8(5)
Fordham2
15 James Madison 1
NC State 1 3
2Oregon69
2 Oregon 8(6)
BYU 0
2Oregon4
North Dakota State 3
North Dakota State 4
Fresno State 0
2 Oregon6
Eugene Regional
North Dakota State 1
BYU8
Fresno State 7
BYU 0
North Dakota State7

Women's College World Series

The Women's College World Series was held May 28 through June 3, 2015, in Oklahoma City.

Participants

SchoolConferenceRecord (conference)Head coachWCWS appearances†
(including 2015 WCWS)
WCWS best finish†*WCWS W–L record†
(excluding 2015 WCWS)
Alabama SEC 47–13 (17–7) Patrick Murphy 10
(last: 2014)
1st
(2012)
16–17
Auburn SEC 54–9 (18–6) Clint Myers 10–0
Florida SEC 55–6 (18–5) Tim Walton 7
(last: 2014)
1st
(2014)
17–11
LSU SEC 50–12 (15–9) Beth Torina 4
(last: 2012)
3rd
(2004)
5–6
Michigan Big Ten 56–6 (21–2) Carol Hutchins 11
(last: 2013)
1st
(2005)
9–20
Oregon Pac-12 51–6 (21–3) Mike White 4
(last: 2014)
3rd
(2014)
5–6
Tennessee SEC 47–15 (15–9) Ralph and Karen Weekly 7
(last: 2013)
2nd
(2007, 2013)
15–12
UCLA Pac-12 50–10 (19–5) Kelly Inouye-Perez 26
(last: 2010)
1st
(1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990
1992, 1995*, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2010)
94–29

Bracket

First round Second round Semifinals Finals
               
1 Florida 7
8 Tennessee 2
1Florida4
5 LSU 0
5 LSU 6
4 Auburn 1
1Florida3(9)
4 Auburn 2
8 Tennessee 2
4Auburn4
7 UCLA 10
4Auburn11(10)
1 Florida30 4
3 Michigan 2 11
3 Michigan 5
6 Alabama 0
3Michigan10
7 UCLA 4
7 UCLA 7
2 Oregon 1
3Michigan6
5 LSU 3
6Alabama2
2 Oregon 1
5LSU5
6 Alabama 3

Championship game

[14]

SchoolTop BatterStats.
Florida Taylor Schwarz (1B)1–4 2RBI 2Ks
Michigan Sierra Romero (2B)1–3 RBIs BB
SchoolPitcherIPHRERBBSOABBF
Florida Lauren Haeger (W)7.0511152630
Michigan Haylie Wagner (L)2.044400812
Michigan Megan Betsa 4.0100381321

Record by conference

Conference# of BidsRecordWin %RFSRWSNSCSNC
Southeastern 1150–25.667985311
Big Ten 413–8.61921111
Pac-12 721–15.583632
Atlantic Coast 712–14.46242
Big 12 410–8.55631
Sun Belt 25–5.50021
Colonial 22–4.333
Conference USA 24–4.5002
Mountain West 22–4.3331
Other2314–46.2333

The columns RF, SR, WS, NS, CS, and NC respectively stand for the regional finals, super regionals, College World Series teams, national semifinals, championship series, and national champion.

Media coverage

Radio

Westwood One provided nationwide radio coverage of the championship series. It was streamed online at westwoodsports.com and through TuneIn. Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico provided the call for Westwood One. [15]

Television

ESPN held exclusive rights to the tournament, with games airing across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU. Regional and super-regional games were broadcast additionally using SEC Network, ESPN3, and SEC Network Plus. Longhorn Network simulcast coverage of games involving the Texas Longhorns.

Coverage of the tournament was highly viewed; the LSU/Michigan and UCLA/Auburn games drew the largest viewership of the bracket round games, coverage of game 3 of the championship series was seen by 2.27 million viewers, and all three games in the championship series had an average viewership of 1.85 million. Viewership of the Women's College World Series was 31% higher than that of the 2015 NCAA Division I baseball tournament held later in the month. [16]

Broadcast assignments

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  15. "Upcoming Programming: NCAA Softball Championship on Westwood One". Westwood One . Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  16. "Women's College World Series beats Men's counterpart in ratings". Awful Announcing. Retrieved June 28, 2015.