The Memorial Day Weekend is almost upon us.
You know what that means — softball is soon to follow.
The Women’s College World Series starts its run in Oklahoma City in a little over a week. We won’t know who’s coming to town until after this week’s super regionals, but we have a better idea after regional action weeded out three-fourths of the field this past weekend.
So, how’s the WCWS field shaping up? Watch my latest video commentary or read below:
The countdown is on to the Women’s College World Series. The annual college softball extravaganza hits Oklahoma City in only a week and a half, but already, we have a clearer idea of who might be headed our way. And I gotta tell ya, it is setting up to be a grand field.
Twelve of the top 16 seeds survived regional play this past weekend.
That includes local favorite, Oklahoma. The Sooners must now go to Arizona and face the Wildcats in Tucson. No easy task. Thing is, the scenario is the same as it was four years ago. Wildcat coach Mike Candrea was on Olympic sabbatical then, same as he is now. Arizona had a stout squad, same as it does now.
And four years ago, the Sooners went into the desert and scored an upset.
Having the WCWS with the Sooners back in the fold would be tons of fun. The crowds, which are always good, are even livelier with the Sooners in the field.
OU isn’t the only surviving seed that would be fun to have in OKC. Florida, the top overall seed, is led by former Sooner Tim Walton. Texas A&M is an upcoming powerhouse. Northwestern and Alabama and Michigan have become regulars and local favorites.
But then there are some new faces that have a chance to come to the city next week. Houston is one of those seeded teams to advance, but the Cougars would be a new face in the WCWS. Missouri and Louisiana-Lafayette have been to the series before, but they haven’t been in several years and would be fun wrenches to throw into the bracket.
The best unseeded team to survive regional play, though, is Virginia Tech. The campus tragedy last spring has made every Hokie team a symbol of hope, but the difference with these Hokies is that they’re really good. They came to Oklahoma City earlier this spring and BEAT the U.S. Olympic team. They are the only team to do so since the Olympians began their Bound for Beijing tour.
By this time next week, we’ll know exactly which teams are bound for Oklahoma City. We can rest assured, though, that the field will be good and the week will be fun.