The 1996 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament was the fifteenth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball . Held during May 1996, thirty-two Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of four teams, each in a double elimination format. The 1996 Women's College World Series was held in Columbus, Georgia from May 23 through May 27 and marked the conclusion of the 1996 NCAA Division I softball season . This marked the last time that the Women's College World Series was held in a city other than Oklahoma City, Oklahoma , and previewed Golden Park 's hosting of softball events for the 1996 Summer Olympics .[1] Arizona won their fourth NCAA championship by defeating Washington 6–4 in the final game. Arizona second baseman Jenny Dalton was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player .[2] [3]
Qualifying [ ]
Regionals [ ]
Regional No. 1 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Arizona
8 5
Troy State
0
Arizona
9
Florida State
6
Florida State
3
South Florida
1
Arizona
10
—
Florida State
3
—
Troy State
5
South Florida
6
Florida State
6
South Florida
0
Arizona qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 2 [ ]
Michigan qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 3 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Iowa
8 5
UNLV
0
Iowa
1
Oklahoma
0
Oklahoma
8 5
Northern Illinois
0
Iowa
7
—
Oklahoma
2
—
UNLV
1
Northern Illinois
3
Oklahoma
3
Northern Illinois
0
Iowa qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 4 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Southwestern Louisiana
1
Nicholls State
0
Southwestern Louisiana
9 8
Nebraska
4
Nebraska
5
Minnesota
0
Southwestern Louisiana
2
—
Nicholls State
1
—
Nicholls State
2
Minnesota
1
Nebraska
0
Nicholls State
2
Southwestern Louisiana qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 5 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Fresno State
5
Texas A&M
2
Fresno State
0
California
1
California
4
Long Beach State
1
California
2 9
—
Fresno State
1
—
Texas A&M
1
Long Beach State
4
Fresno State
3 8
Long Beach State
2
California qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 6 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Princeton
1
Boston University
0
Princeton
4
UMass
0
UMass
1
Connecticut
0
Princeton
3
—
Boston University
1
—
Boston University
5
Connecticut
0
UMass
0
Boston University
1
Princeton qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 7 [ ]
First Round
Semi-Finals
Finals
Cal State Northridge
5
Southwest Missouri State
0
Cal State Northridge
0
Cal State Fullerton
11
Cal State Fullerton
5
UCLA
1
Cal State Fullerton
1
2
UCLA
14 5
7
Southwest Missouri State
1
UCLA
8
Cal State Northridge
5
UCLA
7
UCLA qualifies for WCWS.
Regional No. 8 [ ]
Washington qualifies for WCWS.
Women's College World Series [ ]
Participants [ ]
Washington
Arizona
UCLA
Southwestern Louisiana
California
Michigan
Iowa
Princeton
Bracket [ ]
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
1
Washington
7
8
Princeton
1
1
Washington
9
5
California
7
4
Southwestern Louisiana
0
5
California
2
1
Washington
8
—
3
UCLA
2
—
8
Princeton
0
4
Southwestern Louisiana
7
3
UCLA
3
4
Southwestern Louisiana
2
1
Washington
4
2
Arizona
6
3
UCLA
2
6
Michigan
0
3
UCLA
0
2
Arizona
4
2
Arizona
5
7
Iowa
2
2
Arizona
10 6
—
7
Iowa
2
—
6
Michigan
2
7
Iowa
3
5
California
0
7
Iowa
1
Championship Game [ ]
[4]
All-Tournament Team [ ]
The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team[5]
Pos
Name
School
P
Carrie Dolan
Arizona
Cheryl Longeway
Southwestern Louisiana
C
Jennifer Cline
Washington
1B
Traci Conrad
Michigan
2B
Jenny Dalton
Arizona
Sara Pickering
Washington
3B
Lynn Britton
Southwestern Louisiana
SS
Tami Storseth
Washington
OF
Mindy Williams
Washington
Lea Twigg
Iowa
Alison Johnsen
Arizona
AL
Krista Gomez
Arizona
Michelle Churnock
Arizona
Lyn Nance
Iowa
References [ ]
NCAA Division I Softball Tournament
1995–96 NCAA Division I championships
† Not an officially sanctioned NCAA championship