First pitch of the 2020 college softball season is scheduled for Feb. 6. Now that most schools have released their 2020 schedules, let's take a look at the schedules of four teams that reached last year's Women's College World Series.
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UCLA begins the long-awaited season against CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. Along with the Roadrunners, the Bruins will also face Cal Poly, Pittsburgh and San Diego that weekend.
The 2019 WCWS runner-up Oklahoma starts the 2020 season on Feb. 6 at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The four-day meet features seven teams, including the Sooners, BYU and Oregon.
NEWS | #Sooners announce 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ schedule.
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) December 4, 2019
🔴 Tournaments in Mexico, Arizona and California 🌴
⚪️ More than half of regular season games at Marita Hynes 🏠
🔴 12 matchups against ‘19 NCAA tourney teams, including four Supers and three WCWS teams 💪
➡️ https://t.co/iMLoue1vLz pic.twitter.com/WrJo1CeNqw
Last season's Seattle super regional winner, Washington, begins the season a day after its 2019 WCWS counterparts. On Friday, Feb. 7, the Huskies will take part in the Buzz Classic. Ohio will be their first opponent, followed by Georgia Tech, UAB and Furman.
The Gainesville super regional winner, Florida, will follow suit, beginning the season on Feb. 7. Illinois State opens the Gators' season, the first of five matchups a part of the USF Opening Weekend Invitational. Other opponents include Fresno State, Michigan, Georgia State and USF.
SCHEDULE: Dates and times for the 2020 Women's College World Series
The 2019 college softball season concluded with Kinsley Washington's walk-off single to secure UCLA's 12 title in program history. The USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium erupted that night, one half inning after the Bruins gave up a game-tying home run to Oklahoma's Shay Knighton.
#WCWSwednesday: 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣9️⃣
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) August 21, 2019
After being named @USASoftball Player of the Year, Rachel Garcia followed up with one of the most memorable performances in #WCWS history – tossing 10 shutout innings leading up to her walk off home run to send @UCLASoftball into the Championship Series. pic.twitter.com/K2FHqpWS5O
After losing to Florida State in the three-game championship series the year before, the Bruins went 5-0 in OKC, including a two-game finals sweep over the Sooners. Rachel Garcia, who hit the walk-off home run in the 10th inning to push the Bruins past Washington into the championship series, was named 2019 WCWS Most Outstanding Player.
RECORDS: College softball's all-time home run leaders
Here are the winners of every tournament since 1982:
| YEAR | CHAMPION (RECORD) | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | *UCLA (56-6) | Kelly Inouye-Perez | 5-4 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City |
| 2018 | *Florida State (58-12) | Lonni Alameda | 8-3 | Washington | Oklahoma City |
| 2017 | *Oklahoma (61-9) | Patty Gasso | 5-4 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2016 | Oklahoma (57-8) | Patty Gasso | 2-1 | Auburn | Oklahoma City |
| 2015 | Florida (60-7) | Tim Walton | 4-1 | Michigan | Oklahoma City |
| 2014 | *Florida (55-12) | Tim Walton | 6-3 | Alabama | Oklahoma City |
| 2013 | *Oklahoma (57-4) | Patty Gasso | 4-0 | Tennessee | Oklahoma City |
| 2012 | Alabama (60-8) | Patrick Murphy | 5-4 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City |
| 2011 | *Arizona State (60-6) | Clint Myers | 7-2 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2010 | *UCLA (50-11) | Kelly Inouye-Perez | 15-9 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 2009 | Washington (51-12) | Heather Tarr | 3-2 | Florida | Oklahoma City |
| 2008 | *Arizona State (66-5) | Clint Myers | 11-0 | Texas A&M | Oklahoma City |
| 2007 | Arizona (50-14-1) | Mike Candrea | 5-0 | Tennessee | Oklahoma City |
| 2006 | Arizona (54-11) | Mike Candrea | 5-0 | Northwestern | Oklahoma City |
| 2005 | Michigan (65-7) | Carol Hutchins | 4-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 2004 | UCLA (47-9) | Sue Enquist | 3-1 | California | Oklahoma City |
| 2003 | UCLA (54-7) | Sue Enquist | 1-0 | California | Oklahoma City |
| 2002 | California (56-19) | Diane Ninemire | 6-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 2001 | *Arizona (65-4) | Mike Candrea | 1-0 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 2000 | *Oklahoma (66-8) | Patty Gasso | 3-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1999 | *UCLA (63-6) | Sue Enquist | 3-2 | Washington | Oklahoma City |
| 1998 | Fresno State (52-11) | Margie Wright | 1-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1997 | Arizona (61-5) | Mike Candrea | 10-2 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1996 | *Arizona (58-9) | Mike Candrea | 6-4 | Washington | Columbus, Ga. |
| 1995 | *#UCLA (50-6) | Sharron Backus | 4-2 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1994 | *Arizona (64-3) | Mike Candrea | 2-0 | Cal State Northridge | Oklahoma City |
| 1993 | Arizona (44-8) | Mike Candrea | 1-0 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1992 | *UCLA (54-2) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Arizona | Oklahoma City |
| 1991 | Arizona (56-16) | Mike Candrea | 5-1 | UCLA | Oklahoma City |
| 1990 | UCLA (62-7) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Fresno State | Oklahoma City |
| 1989 | *UCLA (48-4) | Sharron Backus | 1-0 | Fresno State | Sunnyvale, Calif. |
| 1988 | UCLA (53-8) | Sharron Backus | 3-0 | Fresno State | Sunnyvale, Calif. |
| 1987 | Texas A&M (56-8) | Bob Brock | 4-1 | UCLA | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1986 | *Cal State Fullerton (57-9-1) | Judi Garman | 3-0 | Texas A&M | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1985 | UCLA (41-9) | Sharron Backus | 2-1 | Nebraska | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1984 | UCLA (45-6-1) | Sharron Backus | 1-0 | Texas A&M | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1983 | Texas A&M (41-11) | Bob Brock | 2-0 | Cal State Fullerton | Omaha, Neb. |
| 1982 | *UCLA (33-7-2) | Sharron Backus | 2-0 | Fresno State | Omaha, Neb. |
