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Katherine Wright | NCAA.com | December 4, 2019

When does the 2020 college softball season start?

WCWS top plays

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. 

CHANGES TO SOFTBALL: 2020 will include different mandated pitching procedures

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.

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.

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.

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Division I
Softball Championship
June 1-9, 2023
USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium | Oklahoma City, OK

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