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- Up to 24 Games Available Across Four Days
- All 16 National Seeds to Participate for the Second Consecutive Year
Continuing on the road to the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), ESPN will televise every game from the NCAA Division I Softball Super Regionals providing fans up to 24 games across ESPN networks from Thursday, May 24, to Sunday, May 27. Games will be available on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.
Road to the Women’s College World Series
What started as a field of 64 has been reduced to 16 heading into the Super Regionals with this weekend determining the eight teams that will compete for in the Women’s College World Series. For the second consecutive year, all 16 national seeds advanced following regional play with only three of those teams needing a game seven to punch their ticket.
Now, the two-time defending champions No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners will host the No.13 Arkansas Razorbacks who make their first ever appearance in the Super Regionals. No. 1 seed Oregon will host No. 16 Kentucky in Eugene for the second consecutive year. Perhaps the most-storied Super Regional will be Los Angeles, where fans will witness the two most winningest teams in NCAA softball history in No. 3 UCLA and No. 8 Arizona—who, between the two schools, hold 19 of the 35 WCWS titles.
Shaggin’ Stats
- The SEC continues on a three-year streak of being the conference to send the most teams to the Super Regionals with nine, breaking its own record of eight from last year.
- 12 Alabama has made the highest number of appearances at the Super Regionals (format began in 2005) with 14, followed by No. 8 Arizona with 13, No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 5 Washington both with 12
- Three of the Super Regional match-ups will be between Pac-12 and SEC Schools. The Pac-12 is currently 3-1 against the SEC in the post-season.
The Voices of ESPN
ESPN’s WCWS commentator team will reunite for the Los Angeles Super Regional when Sunday Night Baseball analyst and two-time Olympic softball player Jessica Mendoza joins fellow college softball analyst Michele Smith, play-by-play commentator Beth Mowins and reporter Holly Rowe. Mendoza began her career with ESPN as a softball analyst and has contributed to many WCWS telecasts. Amanda Scarborough—who is the analyst on the dayside team for the WCWS—will be in Gainseville alongside play-by-play commentator Tiffany Greene.
The additional commentator teams for the weekend: Eric Frede and Jennie Ritter (Seattle), Alex Loeb and Megan Willis (Athens), Mark Neely and Danielle Lawrie (Eugene), Kevin Brown and Erin Miller (Tallahassee), Pam Ward and Carol Bruggeman (Norman) and Courtney Lyle and Jenny Dalton-Hill (Tempe).
- Carol Bruggeman– Norman Super Regional
- College: Iowa
- Honors: As a Division I coach at Michigan, Purdue, and Louisville, achieved more than 700 combined wins; All Big-Ten and All-Mideast Region as a player, inducted into the Iowa Softball Association Hall of Fame (1997)
- Jenny Dalton-Hill– Tempe Super Regional
- College: Arizona
- Honors: National Player of the Year (1996) and Women’s College World Series MVP (’96), Four-time National Champion, winning three as a player (1993, ’94, and ’96) and one as an assistant
- Danielle Lawrie– Eugene Super Regional
- College: Washington
- Honors: National Champion (2009), All-American, and played for Canadian National Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Jessica Mendoza– Los Angeles Super Regional
- College: Stanford
- Honors: Four-time All-American (1999, 2000, ’01, ’02; member of gold medal-winning team at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver medal winning team at 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Erin Miller – Tallahassee Super Regional
- College: Oklahoma
- Honors:Co-Big 12 Player of the Year (2016); Top 10 Finalist for 2016 Senior Class Award (2016); Two-time National Champion (2013, ’16); All-American (2016)
- Jennie Ritter– Seattle Regional
- College: Michigan
- Honors: National Championship (2005), played for USA National Team (2007) in the World Cup and Pan American games
- Amanda Scarborough– Gainseville
- College:Texas A&M
- Honors: Two-time All-American (2005, ’07). Only player in Big 12 history to receive Freshman of the Year and Player of Year in same season (2005), played in two WCWS (2007, ’08)
- Michele Smith– Los Angeles
- College: Oklahoma State
- Honors: Two-time All-American, two time Olympic Gold Medalist (1996, ’00) and eight time Japan Pro League MVP
- Megan Willis– Athens Regional
- College: Texas
- Honors: Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006, ‘07); Played in National Fastpitch League
Rally Cap
SEC Network’s weekly baseball and softball highlight and analysis show Rally Cap will air Sunday, May 27 at 7 p.m. ET. Softball Analyst Kayla Braud will join host Dari Nowkhah and baseball analyst David Dellucci to bring fans the very best from the softball Super Regionals and preview the NCAA Baseball Championship Selection Show (May 28 at noon on ESPNU).
7Innings Podcast
Fans can keep up with all of the action thanks to 7Innings, a weekly softball podcast chronicling the Road to the WCWS. Each week ESPN personalities covering the sport shine a spotlight on the teams and players that make the sport so special. The talent line-up includes Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Amanda Scarborough, Holly Rowe, Laura Rutledge and Adam Amin.
The most recent edition “Sunset Skirmish” posted on Tuesday, May 22 and is available via iTunes and Google Play. An additional full-length, edition will be available Tuesday, May 29, leading into the WCWS and as an added bonus, shorter editions called “Extra Innings” will be available every morning of the WCWS.
espnW
espnW will continue to provide in-depth softball coverage with news, scores, highlights and analysis throughout the Super Regionals. In addition, espnW will announce its espnW Player of the Year on Wednesday, May 23.
ESPN’s 2018 NCAA Division I Softball Schedule
Super Regional Round (May 24-27)
Please Note: Networks are likely to change throughout the weekend. Please check espnW’s schedule and results page and NCAA.com for the updated schedule. The higher seed in each Super Regional has home/away choice in a decisive, if necessary, Game 3.
Eugene Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Thu, May 24 | 9 p.m. | No. 16 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Oregon Mark Neely, Danielle Lawrie |
ESPN2 |
| Fri, May 25 | 11 p.m. | No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 16 Kentucky Mark Neely, Danielle Lawrie |
ESPN2 |
| Sat, May 26 | 9 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPN |
Tempe Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Fri, May 25 | 11 p.m. | No. 9 South Carolina vs. No. 8 Arizona State Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
ESPNU |
| Sat, May 26 | 9 p.m. | No. 8 Arizona State vs. No. 8 South Carolina Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
ESPN2 |
| Sun, May 27 | 9 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPNU |
Seattle Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Fri, May 25 | 9 p.m. | No. 12 Alabama vs. No. 5 Washington Eric Frede, Jennie Ritter |
ESPNU |
| Sat, May 26 | 7 p.m. | No. 5 Washington vs. No. 12 Alabama Eric Frede, Jennie Ritter |
ESPN2 |
| Sun, May 27 | 7 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPNU |
Norman Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Fri, May 25 | 5 p.m. | No. 13 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Oklahoma Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman |
ESPN2 |
| Sat, May 26 | 1 p.m. | No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Arkansas Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman |
ESPN |
| Sun, May 27 | 1 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPN |
Los Angeles Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Thu, May 24 | 9 p.m. | No. 14 Arizona vs. No. 3 UCLA Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe |
ESPN |
| Fri, May 25 | 9 p.m. | No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 14 Arizona
Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe |
ESPN2 |
| Sat, May 26 | 7 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPN |
Tallahassee Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Fri, May 25 | 7 p.m. | No. 11 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State Kevin Brown, Erin Miller |
ESPNU |
| Sat, May 26 | 5 p.m. | No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 LSU
Kevin Brown, Erin Miller |
ESPN2 |
| Sun, May 27 | 3 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPNU |
Athens Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Fri, May 25 | 5 p.m. | No. 10 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Georgia Alex Loeb, Megan Willis |
ESPNU |
| Sat, May 26 | 3 p.m. | No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Tennessee Alex Loeb, Megan Willis |
ESPN |
| Sun, May 27 | 3 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPN |
Gainesville Super Regional
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Thu, May 24 | 7 p.m. | No. 15 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Florida Tiffany Greene, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN |
| Fri, May 25 | 7 p.m. | No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 Texas A&M Tiffany Greene, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN2 |
| Sat, May 26 | 5 p.m. | Game 3: If Necessary | ESPN |
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