All Eyes on OKC: Women’s College World Series Set to Begin

It’s one of the biggest weeks in college sports—the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) kicks off Thursday, May 29, in Oklahoma City, where eight of the nation’s top softball teams will compete for the NCAA championship.

By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer

It’s one of the biggest weeks in college sports—the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) kicks off Thursday, May 29, in Oklahoma City, where eight of the nation’s top softball teams will compete for the NCAA championship.

At the center of attention is the University of Oklahoma, aiming for its fifth consecutive national title. Led by head coach Patty Gasso, the second-seeded Sooners are the dominant force in college softball, having captured the last four WCWS crowns.

All games will take place at Devon Park under a double-elimination format, with the final two teams advancing to a best-of-three championship series starting June 4.

Opening Day Matchups

The tournament opens with a marquee SEC showdown: No. 6 national seed Texas takes on No. 3 Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Oklahoma faces No. 7 Tennessee in its first-round matchup. The Sooners punched their ticket to OKC by defeating Alabama in the Norman Super Regional last weekend.

Later Thursday, unseeded Ole Miss meets No. 12 Texas Tech in a night game full of firsts. Ole Miss, fresh off road wins at Arizona and Arkansas, is making its first-ever WCWS appearance. The same goes for Texas Tech, which reached the tournament after knocking off Florida State in Tallahassee. The winner will notch their first WCWS victory in program history. ESPN2 will air the game at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

NiJaree Canady

West Coast Clash: UCLA vs. Oregon

The final game of the night—scheduled to begin 25 minutes after the Ole Miss–Texas Tech game—features a West Coast rivalry with new Big Ten implications: No. 16 Oregon vs. No. 9 UCLA.

Oregon reached OKC after beating Liberty in the Eugene Super Regional. The Ducks benefited from a surprise upset in which Liberty knocked out No. 1 seed Texas A&M, giving Oregon home-field advantage for the Super Regional. This marks Oregon’s first WCWS appearance since 2018.

Meanwhile, UCLA delivered the most dramatic moment of last weekend’s action. Down to their final out against South Carolina, the Bruins hit a walk-off two-run homer to steal a 5–4 victory and force a decisive Game 3, which they went on to win. This marks UCLA’s record 33rd WCWS appearance and their ninth in the past 10 NCAA tournaments. The Bruins are the highest remaining seed on their side of the bracket.

ESPN2 will also carry the Oregon–UCLA nightcap.