1972 Women's College World Series
The 1972 Women's College World Series (WCWS) was contested among 16 college softball teams on May 18–21 in Omaha, Nebraska. This fourth WCWS was notable for the only appearance of a team from outside the United States, as the team from Tokyo–Nihon University of Japan proved to be a hit with both spectators and the other teams in the tournament. Three-time defending champion John F. Kennedy College was excluded from the tournament by an organizational rule change the previous month. The new rule prohibited a team from appearing in the WCWS if it gave scholarships to any women athletes, not just softball players (JFK College openly awarded women's basketball scholarships).[1] JFK never returned to the WCWS, and the school closed just three years later.
Teams
The double elimination tournament included these teams:
- Arizona State
- Central Missouri State College
- Illinois State
- Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State)
- Keene State College (New Hampshire)
- Luther College (Iowa)
- Minot State College (North Dakota)
- Nebraska–Omaha
- Northern Colorado
- Purdue (Indiana)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota State
- Southwest Missouri State
- Tokyo–Nihon University (Japan)
- Wayne State College (Nebraska)
- Western Illinois
The Arizona State Sun Devilettes defeated Tokyo–Nihon narrowly in the winners' bracket semi-final, 2–1, and split the tournament final, 0–1 and 8–5, with the if-necessary game requiring 11 innings.[1]
Bracket
| 1st Round[2][3][4][5][6][7] | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tokyo–Nihon | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State College | 0 | Tokyo–Nihon | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 8 | Illinois State | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State Teachers College | 0 | Tokyo–Nihon | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota State | 3 | South Dakota State | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luther College | 2 | South Dakota State | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keene State College | 10 | Keene State College | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 3 | Tokyo–Nihon | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Missouri State | 7 | Arizona State | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 2 | Southwest Missouri State | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 5 | Northern Colorado | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 2 | Northern Colorado | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 11 | Arizona State | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minot State College | 0 | Arizona State | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 12 | Western Illinois | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State College | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 0 | 8[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tokyo–Nihon | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State College | 8 | Central Missouri State College | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State Teachers College | 4 | Southwest Missouri State | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State College | 4 | Western Illinois | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 9 | South Dakota State | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luther College | 6 | Luther College | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 1 | Western Illinois | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 2 | Western Illinois | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 1[lower-alpha 2] | Tokyo–Nihon | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 6 | Nebraska–Omaha | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 0 | Illinois State | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 10 | Illinois State | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State College | 0 | Northern Colorado | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minot State College | 6 | Wayne State College | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State College | 10 | Keene State College | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- 11 innings
- no-hitter by Illinois State pitcher, Margie Wright; lost
Ranking
| Place | School | WCWS Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Arizona State | 5-1 |
| 2nd | Tokyo–Nihon | 5-2 |
| 3rd | Western Illinois | 5-2 |
| 4th | Illinois State | 4-2 |
| 5th | Northern Colorado | 2-2 |
| 6th | South Dakota State | 2-2 |
| 7th | Wayne State College | 2-2 |
| Central Missouri State College | 2-2 | |
| 9th | Keene State College | 1-2 |
| Nebraska–Omaha | 1-2 | |
| Luther College | 1-2 | |
| Southwest Missouri State | 1-2 | |
| 13th | South Carolina | 0-2 |
| Minot State College | 0-2 | |
| Kansas State Teachers College | 0-2 | |
| Purdue | 0-2 | |
References
- Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
- Devine, Larry (May 21, 1972). "Arizona State Clips Tokyo, Gains Finals". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 11-C. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- Devine, Larry (May 22, 1972). "Arizona State Wins Gals CWS". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 19. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- Devine, Larry (May 20, 1972). "Paula Leads ASU's Wins". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 26. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- Devine, Larry (May 19, 1972). "Tokyo Gals Stock Up on Ice Cream, Victories". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. p. 34. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- "A Taste of Dust". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 19, 1972. p. 33. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- "Softball Gals Vie Tonight". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. May 18, 1972. p. 44. Retrieved 2017-03-31.