The 1981 AIAW women's college slow-pitch softball championship was held near Raleigh, North Carolina on May 14–16. Thirteen college softball teams met in the first AIAW national slow-pitch softball tournament. The AIAW conducted only two slow-pitch softball national championships, in 1981 and 1982, as the NCAA sought to and eventually did vanquish the women's collegiate athletic organization.
Teams
The double-elimination tournament included 13 teams seeded in the following order:
- Florida State
- East Carolina
- North Carolina
- South Florida
- North Carolina State
- Auburn
- Florida
- Wilmington College (Ohio)
- Western Carolina
- Northern Kentucky
- Georgia Southern
- Morehead State (Kentucky)
- Lakeland Community College (Ohio)
Top-seeded Florida State was the victor in the tournament, winning all four of its games. The team eliminated North Carolina in the final, 4-1, and placed five players on the all-tournament team. Darby Cottle was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.[1] The Lady Seminoles won 16 consecutive games to finish out the season with a record of 54-7. JoAnne Graf, who went on to have a legendary career at the university, coached the team to Florida State's first softball national championship.[2]
Bracket
Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper round 3 | Upper final | Final | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Carolina | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wilmington College | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Carolina | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Morehead State | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lakeland College | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Florida | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lakeland College | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 12[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Carolina | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Carolina | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Kentucky | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Carolina | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 5 | Florida State | 4 | – | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Southern | 1 | North Carolina | 1 | – | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Southern | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower round 4 | Lower round 5 | Lower final | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Southern | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Florida | 14 | South Florida | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Florida | 2 | South Florida | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Morehead State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 1 | East Carolina | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 4 | North Carolina | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wilmington College | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lakeland College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 1 | Auburn | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Kentucky | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Carolina | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Kentucky | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ↑ 8 innings
Ranking
Place | School | WCWS Record |
---|---|---|
1st | Florida State | 4-0 |
2nd | North Carolina | 4-2 |
3rd | East Carolina | 2-2 |
4th | North Carolina State | 3-2 |
5th | South Florida | 3-2 |
Auburn | 2-2 | |
7th | Florida | 2-2 |
Northern Kentucky | 2-2 | |
9th | Georgia Southern | 1-2 |
Western Carolina | 1-2 | |
Lakeland Community College | 1-2 | |
12th | Morehead State | 0-2 |
Wilmington College | 0-2 | |
See also
References
- ↑ "Softball History Website". Retrieved March 11, 2017.
- 1 2 "Lady Seminoles claim national softball crown". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. May 17, 1981. p. 1F. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ↑ "Lady Cats Set to Play National AIAW Slo-Pitch Softball Finals". The Sylva Herald and Ruralite. Sylva, North Carolina. May 14, 1981. p. 8. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ↑ "Lady Seminoles gain AIAW softball final". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. May 16, 1981. p. 2C. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ↑ "NCAA Women's Softball". Retrieved March 8, 2017.