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
Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper round 3 | Upper final | Final | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo–Nihon | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Missouri State College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo–Nihon | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas State Teachers College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo–Nihon | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota State | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luther College | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota State | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keene State College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keene State College | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo–Nihon | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southwest Missouri State | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nebraska–Omaha | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southwest Missouri State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Colorado | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Colorado | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Colorado | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minot State College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 3 | Arizona State | 0 | 8[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 0 | Tokyo–Nihon | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wayne State College | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower round 4 | Lower round 5 | Lower final | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Missouri State College | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Missouri State College | 8 | Southwest Missouri State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Missouri State College | 4 | South Dakota State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas State Teachers College | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 9 | Western Illinois | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luther College | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 2 | Tokyo–Nihon | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luther College | 6 | Western Illinois | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 1[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nebraska–Omaha | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nebraska–Omaha | 6 | Illinois State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 10 | Northern Colorado | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wayne State College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wayne State College | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minot State College | 6 | Keene State College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wayne State College | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ↑ 11 innings
- ↑ 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 | |
See also
References
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ Devine, Larry (May 21, 1972). "Arizona State Clips Tokyo, Gains Finals". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 11-C. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ↑ Devine, Larry (May 22, 1972). "Arizona State Wins Gals CWS". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 19. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ↑ Devine, Larry (May 20, 1972). "Paula Leads ASU's Wins". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 26. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ↑ Devine, Larry (May 19, 1972). "Tokyo Gals Stock Up on Ice Cream, Victories". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 34. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ↑ "A Taste of Dust". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 19, 1972. p. 33. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ↑ "Softball Gals Vie Tonight". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 18, 1972. p. 44. Retrieved 2017-03-31.