1981 AIAW Slow-pitch Softball Tournament
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[]
1st Round[2][3][4][5] | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Florida State (bye) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Wilmington College | 2 | Western Carolina | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Western Carolina | 5 | Florida State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | North Carolina State | 2 | North Carolina State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Morehead State | 0 | North Carolina State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | South Florida | 1 | Lakeland College | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Lakeland College | 6 | Florida State | 12[a] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | East Carolina (bye) | East Carolina | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Carolina | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Florida | 8 | Florida | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Northern Kentucky | 2 | East Carolina | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | North Carolina (bye) | North Carolina | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Auburn | 5 | Georgia Southern | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Georgia Southern | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Florida | 14 | Georgia Southern | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Morehead State | 3 | South Florida | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Florida | 2 | North Carolina State | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 1 | South Florida | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
n/a | Florida | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wilmington College | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina State | 4 | East Carolina | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 14 | North Carolina | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
n/a | Lakeland College | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 1 | North Carolina | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Kentucky | 0 | Auburn | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
n/a | 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 2017-03-11.
- ^ a b "Lady Seminoles claim national softball crown". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. May 17, 1981. p. 1F. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
- ^ "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 2017-03-08.
- ^ "Lady Seminoles gain AIAW softball final". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. May 16, 1981. p. 2C. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
- ^ "NCAA Women's Softball". Retrieved 2017-03-08.
- 1981 AIAW Division I softball season
- College softball championships