1972 Women's College World Series

The 1972 Women's College World Series (WCWS) was contested among 16 college softball teams on May 18–21 in Omaha, Nebraska. This fourth WCWS was notable for the only appearance of a team from outside the United States, as the team from Tokyo–Nihon University of Japan proved to be a hit with both spectators and the other teams in the tournament. Three-time defending champion John F. Kennedy College was excluded from the tournament by an organizational rule change the previous month. The new rule prohibited a team from appearing in the WCWS if it gave scholarships to any women athletes, not just softball players (JFK College openly awarded women's basketball scholarships).[1] JFK never returned to the WCWS, and the school closed just three years later.

Teams

The double elimination tournament included these teams:

  • Arizona State
  • Central Missouri State College
  • Illinois State
  • Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State)
  • Keene State College (New Hampshire)
  • Luther College (Iowa)
  • Minot State College (North Dakota)
  • Nebraska–Omaha
  • Northern Colorado
  • Purdue (Indiana)
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota State
  • Southwest Missouri State
  • Tokyo–Nihon University (Japan)
  • Wayne State College (Nebraska)
  • Western Illinois

The Arizona State Sun Devilettes defeated Tokyo–Nihon narrowly in the winners' bracket semi-final, 2–1, and split the tournament final, 0–1 and 8–5, with the if-necessary game requiring 11 innings.[1]

Bracket

1st Round[2][3][4][5][6][7]   2nd Round   3rd Round   4th Round   Semifinals   Finals
Tokyo–Nihon 4  
Central Missouri State College 0     Tokyo–Nihon 3  
Illinois State 8   Illinois State 2  
Kansas State Teachers College 0       Tokyo–Nihon 6  
South Dakota State 3       South Dakota State 0  
Luther College 2     South Dakota State 5
Keene State College 10   Keene State College 0  
Purdue 3       Tokyo–Nihon 1  
Southwest Missouri State 7     Arizona State 2    
Nebraska–Omaha 2     Southwest Missouri State 2  
Northern Colorado 5   Northern Colorado 4  
South Carolina 2       Northern Colorado 1
Arizona State 11       Arizona State 11  
Minot State College 0     Arizona State 3
Western Illinois 12   Western Illinois 0  
Wayne State College 4  
  Arizona State 0 8[lower-alpha 1]  
  Tokyo–Nihon 1 5  
Central Missouri State College 8   Central Missouri State College 9  
Kansas State Teachers College 4   Southwest Missouri State 3  
    Central Missouri State College 4   Western Illinois 8  
    Western Illinois 9   South Dakota State 3  
Luther College 6   Luther College 2
Purdue 1   Western Illinois 7  
    Western Illinois 2   Western Illinois 0  
    Illinois State 1[lower-alpha 2]   Tokyo–Nihon 4  
Nebraska–Omaha 6   Nebraska–Omaha 1  
South Carolina 0   Illinois State 4  
    Illinois State 10   Illinois State 11
    Wayne State College 0   Northern Colorado 4  
Minot State College 6   Wayne State College 15
Wayne State College 10   Keene State College 0  
  1. 11 innings
  2. no-hitter by Illinois State pitcher, Margie Wright; lost

Ranking

Place School WCWS Record
1st Arizona State 5-1
2nd Tokyo–Nihon 5-2
3rd Western Illinois 5-2
4th Illinois State 4-2
5th Northern Colorado 2-2
6th South Dakota State 2-2
7th Wayne State College 2-2
Central Missouri State College 2-2
9th Keene State College 1-2
Nebraska–Omaha 1-2
Luther College 1-2
Southwest Missouri State 1-2
13th South Carolina 0-2
Minot State College 0-2
Kansas State Teachers College 0-2
Purdue 0-2

References

  1. Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
  2. Devine, Larry (May 21, 1972). "Arizona State Clips Tokyo, Gains Finals". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 11-C. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  3. Devine, Larry (May 22, 1972). "Arizona State Wins Gals CWS". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 19. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  4. Devine, Larry (May 20, 1972). "Paula Leads ASU's Wins". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 26. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  5. Devine, Larry (May 19, 1972). "Tokyo Gals Stock Up on Ice Cream, Victories". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 34. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  6. "A Taste of Dust". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 19, 1972. p. 33. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  7. "Softball Gals Vie Tonight". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 18, 1972. p. 44. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
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