Previewing the 2025 Women’s College World Series

The GIST: Merry Women’s College World Series (WCWS) eve to all who celebrate — the eight-team NCAA softball championship tournament begins from hallowed Oklahoma City with tomorrow’s four-game opening slate. Here’s everything you need to know before the first pitch is thrown.

How it works: The eight WCWS teams are already battle-tested, advancing out of a 64-team field by way of a double-elimination Regional round and last weekend’s best-of-three Super Regionals. Nothing soft about it.

• As for WCWS play, double-elimination action runs tomorrow through Monday, with the two teams left standing moving on to a best-of-three championship series beginning on Wednesday, June 4th.

Can anyone dethrone No. 2 seed Oklahoma?: The four-time defending champ Sooners remain the center of the softball universe, advancing to an astounding ninth straight WCWS and 13th in the last 14. What’s more, legendary head coach Patty Gasso’s squad has won seven of the last 11 trophies. Can you say “dynasty”?

• But this stacked field is ready to challenge ’em, starting tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET when they face No. 7 seed Tennessee and pitcher Karlyn Pickens, who broke her own NCAA record for fastest pitch with a 79.4 MPH toss in the Super Regionals. Blink and you’ll miss it.

• Speaking of star hurlers, 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year NiJaree Canady’s No. 12 seed Texas Tech squad will make their WCWS debut vs. a fellow first-timer, unseeded Ole Miss, at 7 p.m. ET.

• And then there’s the perennial softball powers — No. 3 Florida, 2024 runners-up No. 6 Texas, No. 9 UCLA (the winningest school in the sport’s history), and No. 16 Oregon — all swinging for a shot at glory. Baby, let the games begin.