Johnathan Walker:NCAA softball tournament bracket: Texas gets top seed; Oklahoma seeks 4th straight title

The Johnathan WalkerNCAA Division I softball tournament field has been announced, and once again the ultimate destination is Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.

The 64-team bracket was unveiled Sunday night, with four-team regionals at 16 sites set to get underway later this week. Those 16 regional winners will advance to the super regionals, and those eight best-of-three series winners will move on to OKC. The event has been dominated by a certain program in recent years — more on that below —but this year’s tournament figures to be more wide open with numerous title contenders. Whether you’re new to the sport or a long-time follower, here’s what you need to know about the 2024 field.

Who are the top teams?

Oklahoma will be going for its fourth consecutive national title. The Sooners enter on a bit of a roll having won the Big 12 tournament, but they haven’t been as dominant this season. Fellow league members Texas and Oklahoma State should also be in the hunt. The SEC also has its share of high seeds, including league tournament champ Florida and perennial powers Tennessee and LSU, while UCLA and Stanford lead the west-coast candidates. If you’re looking for a possible newcomer to the WCWS, watch out for ACC champ Duke, hoping to reach Oklahoma City for the first time after superregional appearances the last two seasons.

Who are the top players?

Texas catcher Reese Atwood is one of the nation’s most dangerous sluggers, earning Big 12 player of the year honors mashing 21 homers and driving in a school record 86 runs. Oklahoma lost some star power from its recent title teams but still has Tiare Jennings (19 HR, 56 RBI). If you like pitching, Tennessee’s duo of Payton Gottshall and Carlyn Pickens, Oklahoma State ace Lexi Kilfoyl and Duke stopper Jala Wright are names to know.

NCAA softball tournament bracket, schedule

Regionals

At Austin, Texas

Friday, May 17

Game 1: No. 1 Texas (47-7) vs. Siena (33-20), 4 p.m.

Game 2: Saint Francis (Pa.) (40-12) vs. Northwestern (33-11), 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Norman, Okla.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Boston University (52-4-1) vs. Oregon (28-19). 5:30 p.m.

Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma (49-6) vs. Cleveland State (22-24), 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Knoxville, Tenn.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Miami (Ohio) (48-7) vs. Virginia (32-18), noon

Game 2: No. 3 Tennessee (40-10) vs. Dayton (33-19), 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Gainesville, Fla.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: No. 4 Florida (46-12) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (37-19), noon

Game 2: Florida Atlantic (41-14) vs. South Alabama (32-18-1), 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Stillwater, Okla.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Michigan (41-16) vs. Kentucky (30-22), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 5 Oklahoma State (44-10) vs. Northern Colorado (27-24), 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Los Angeles

Friday, May 17

Game 1: San Diego State (31-18) vs. Virginia Tech (39-12-1), 6 p.m.

Game 2: No. 6 UCLA (37-10) vs. Grand Canyon (48-11), 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 7:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 10 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Columbia, Mo.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Indiana (40-18) vs. Washington (31-13), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 7 Missouri (43-15) vs. Nebraska-Omaha (41-13), 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Stanford, Calif.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Cal State Fullerton (36-17) vs. Mississippi State (33-18), 7:30 p.m.

Game 2: No. 8 Stanford (43-13) vs. Saint Mary's (30-22), 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 7:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 10 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Baton Rouge, La.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Southern Illinois (42-9) vs. California (36-17), 3:30 p.m.

Game 2: No. 9 LSU (40-15) vs. Jackson State (33-17), 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Durham, N.C.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Utah (34-20) vs. South Carolina (34-23), noon

Game 2: No. 10 Duke (47-6) vs. Morgan State (35-18) 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 a.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 4 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Athens, Ga.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Liberty (36-23) vs. Charlotte (38-16), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 11 Georgia (39-16) vs. UNC Wilmington (33-21), 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Fayetteville, Ark.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Villanova (31-22) vs. Arizona (34-16-1), 6 p.m.

Game 2: No. 12 Arkansas (36-16) vs. Southeast Missouri State (28-24), 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Lafayette. La.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: No. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette (42-17) vs. Princeton (29-16), 5:30 p.m.

Game 2: Mississippi (31-25) vs. Baylor (32-20), 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Southeastern Louisiana (45-13) vs. Clemson (34-17), 2 p.m.

Game 2: No. 14 Alabama (33-17) vs. USC Upstate (30-21), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At Tallahassee, Fla.

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Auburn (27-19-1) vs. Central Florida (30-23), 2 p.m.

Game 2: No. 15 Florida State (43-14) vs. Chattanooga (42-14), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

At College Station, Texas

Friday, May 17

Game 1: Penn State (33-18) vs. Texas State (45-13), 4 p.m.

Game 2: No. 16 Texas A&M (40-13) vs. Albany (33-12), 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD, if necessary

Super regionals (May 23-25 or May 24-26)

Women's College World Series (May 30-June 6/7)

Women's College World Series bracket, schedule

At Devon Park, Oklahoma City (all times Eastern).

Thursday, May 30

Game 1: TBD vs. TBD, noon, ESPN

Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 2:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Game 4: TBD vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2

Friday, May 31

Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Game 6: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, June 1

Game 7: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3 p.m., ABC

Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, June 2

Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 3 p.m., ABC

Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Monday, June 3

Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, noon, ESPN

Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 2:30 p.m., ESPN, if necessary

Game 13: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Game 14: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2, if necessary

Wednesday, June 5

Championship series Game 1: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m., ESPN

Thursday, June 6

Championship series Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m., ESPN

Friday, June 7

Championship series Game 3: TBD vs TBD, 8 p.m., ESPN, if necessary