1982 AIAW Women's College World Series

The 1982 AIAW Women's College World Series was held from May 20 through May 25 in Norman, Oklahoma. The final two games were postponed by rain for two days. Twelve Division I college softball teams met in what was to become the last AIAW softball tournament of that organization's history. After playing their way through the regular season and regional tournaments (and for Oklahoma State, a conference tournament), the 12 advancing teams met for the AIAW Division I college softball championship. Days later, Oklahoma State went on to participate also in the NCAA WCWS tournament. In 1982, the Division I softball tournaments of both the AIAW and the NCAA were called "Women's College World Series." That moniker has been used for the annual topmost-level collegiate women's softball tournaments since the first one in 1969.[1][2]

Teams

The double-elimination tournament included these teams:

  • California
  • Central Michigan
  • Michigan
  • Ohio State
  • Oklahoma
  • Oklahoma State
  • Univ. of Rhode Island
  • Southwest Missouri State
  • Texas A&M
  • U.S. International Univ.
  • Utah
  • Western Illinois

Texas A&M, Michigan, California and Utah were the top four seeds. Top-seeded Texas A&M lost its first game and battled back through the losers' bracket to claim the title by defeating Oklahoma State, who was unbeaten in the tournament to that point, twice in the championship final. The Aggies compiled a record of 7-1 in the tournament to become the first Texas A&M women's varsity team to win a national championship.

Bracket

Rounds 1 & 2(L) Rounds 2(W) & 3(L) Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                                     
     Winners' Bracket
Game 5 (loser to Gm 9):
                 
 Texas A&M  0
 Gm  Ohio State  0 *   Game 15 (loser to Gm 18)
 U.S. International  1
 
  1  U.S. International  1 *    U.S. International  1
  Game 6 (loser to Gm 10):
     Michigan  2  
 Michigan  4
 Gm  Oklahoma   0     Game 19 (loser to Gm 21)
 Univ of Rhode Is.  1
 
  2  Univ of Rhode Is.   2    Michigan  1
  Game 7 (loser to Gm 11):
     Oklahoma State  2  
 California  5
 Gm  SW Missouri St.   0   Game 16 (loser to Gm 17)  
 Central Michigan  0
 
  3  Central Michigan   7    California  0
  Game 8 (loser to Gm 12):
     Oklahoma State  3  
 Utah  0
 Gm  Western Illinois   0     Games 22, 23 (if nec.) ^
 Oklahoma State  2  
  4  Oklahoma State   7    Oklahoma State  1  3 ^
 
   Losers' Bracket      Texas A&M  4  5 ^
 Gm  SW Missouri St.   0
 Texas A&M  1   Game 17    
  9  Texas A&M   2    
   Texas A&M  5
   Game 13  
 California  0  
 Gm  Western Illinois   2  
 Western Illinois  0     Game 20 (winner to Gm 21)
 10  Univ of Rhode Is.   1    
     Texas A&M  2
 
       Central Michigan  0    Loser's bracket final
 Gm  Ohio State  0 
 Central Michigan  3 ^   Game 18       Game 21 (winner to Gm 22)
 11  Central Michigan  1     
   Central Michigan  1   Texas A&M  5
   Game 14 ^  
 U.S. International  0     Michigan  0
 Gm  Oklahoma   4  
 Oklahoma  1 ^
 12  Utah   2  
   
 
* perfect game
^ 8 innings
 10 innings[3]
 15 innings
Note: Except for Games 21–23, game numbers shown above do not necessarily indicate the order of the games' starting times.

W-L Ranking

Place School WCWS Record
1st Texas A&M 7-1
2nd Oklahoma State 4-2
3rd Central Michigan (officially 4th) 4-2
4th Michigan (officially 3rd) 2-2
United States International Univ. 2-2
6th California 1-2
Oklahoma 1-2
Univ. of Rhode Island 1-2
Western Illinois 1-2
10th Ohio State 0-2
Southwest Missouri State 0-2
Utah 0-2

See also

See also: 1982 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament and AIAW Champions § Fastpitch Softball

References

  1. Mary L. Littlewood (1998). Women's Fastpitch Softball - The Path to the Gold, An Historical Look at Women's Fastpitch in the United States (first ed.). National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Columbia, Missouri. pp. 145, 208. ISBN 0-9664310-0-6.
  2. Grundy, Pamela and Shackelford, Susan (2005). Shattering the Glass. The New Press. ISBN 1-56584-822-5.
  3. "1982 MAC Champions Honored". 17 April 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-01.