Pac-12 Softball accounts for half of the Women’s College World Series field

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Half of the eight-team NCAA Women’s College World Series field is made up of Pac-12 teams. Teams are set to compete in Oklahoma City, Okla. beginning on Thursday, May 31, at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field. The eight teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket with the final two teams then competing in a best-of-three format.

No. 1-seed OREGON matches up against No. 8-seed ARIZONA STATE to kick off WCWS play on Thursday with No. 5-seed WASHINGTON playing No. 4-seed Oklahoma and No. 3-seed UCLA matching up against No. 6-seed Florida State later in the day. The double elimination bracket concludes on Sunday, June 3, with all games appearing on ESPN.

The Bruins make its fourth-consecutive WCWS appearance and 28th all-time. Oregon makes its seventh WCWS appearance all-time, Arizona State makes its 12th and Washington makes its 13th. The Ducks, the Bruins and the Huskies all advanced to the WCWS in 2017.

UCLA’s Rachel Garcia was named the USA National Collegiate Player of the Year after posting a 1.02 ERA with a 27-3 record and 273 strikeouts in 185 innings pitched. The award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. The redshirt sophomore was named the 2018 Pac-12 Player of the Year. She is the fourth Pac-12 student-athlete all-time to win the award and the second Bruin, joining Stacey Nuveman, UCLA (2002), who won the award in its inaugural year, Danielle Lawrie, Washington (2009, 2010) and Ashley Hansen, Stanford (2011).

All four Pac-12 teams in the WCWS hosted and won their regionals. Oregon defeated No. 16-seed Kentucky (2-1), Arizona State bested No. 9-seed South Carolina (2-0), Washington beat No.12-seed Alabama (2-0) and UCLA eliminated fellow Pac-12 team No. 14-seed ARIZONA (2-0).

12 Pac-12 student-athletes appear on the NFCA Division I All-America teams. Seven appear on the first team, three are on the second team and two are on the third team. Oregon senior Gwen Svekis, a first team All-American, was also named the NFCA Catcher of the Year.

OREGON STATE and CALIFORNIA ended their postseason journeys in the regionals, going 2-2 and 1-2 in postseason, respectively. ARIZONA advanced to the Los Angeles Super Regional after winning its regional, but lost to UCLA 2-0.

A Pac-12 team topped the NFCA poll for 13-straight weeks (Washington Feb. 17-Apr. 17, UCLA Apr. 24-May 9, Oregon May 16). Oregon is No. 1 after clinching the Pac-12 title and picking up a No. 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA comes in at No. 2 in the poll. Joining Oregon and UCLA in the top 10 is No. 5 Washington, No. 6 Arizona State and No. 10 Arizona. The five Pac-12 teams in the top 10 is the most of any conference. California received votes. In the USA Softball/ESPN poll, five teams are ranked. Oregon is No.1, UCLA is No. 3, Washington is No. 5, Arizona State is No. 7 and Arizona is No. 9. California and Oregon State are received votes.

UPCOMING NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings)

PAC-12 SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK