The final top-25 teams after the 2023 NCAA tournament
The 2023 Women’s College World Series concluded last week in historic fashion, with the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma Sooners winning their third straight title.
Oklahoma caps off the season with a 61-1 record on an NCAA Division I softball record-breaking 53-game winning streak. The runner-up Florida State Seminoles downed Oklahoma State, Washington and Tennessee to reach the championship series undefeated before falling to the Sooners.
This postseason proved to be another great and emotional tournament. Seniors like Montana Fouts, Kathryn Sandercock, Ashley Rogers and Grace Lyons said goodbye to collegiate softball.
Here are some of the best players and plays from the 2023 WCWS and the final poll for the 2023 college softball season.
Key players of the WCWS
Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma: Jennings only knows winning. In her three years at Oklahoma, she has claimed three national titles. During this year’s WCWS, she hit .425 with one home run and six RBIs.
Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State: Sandercock capped off her final college postseason. The reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year allowed just four runs in 20⅔ innings pitched with a 2.12 ERA.
NiJaree Canady, Stanford: Canady turned heads in her first NCAA tournament appearance. She recorded 25 strikeouts and allowed nine hits.
Best plays of the WCWS
Kaley Mudge robs Oklahoma’s home run
Mudge robbed Haley Lee of a homer and kept Oklahoma from adding to its lead. Believe it or not, this was the first of two home run robberies in the exciting 2023 WCWS Championship series.
KALEY MUDGE, ARE YOU KIDDING?! 🤯 @mudge03#WCWS #SCtop10 x 🎥 ESPN / @FSU_Softball pic.twitter.com/rofO1Nn0HN
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 8, 2023
Tennessee escapes a potentially bad situation
Things looked like they might get out of hand for the Vols after Tallen Edwards’ base hit. However, Katie Taylor regrouped and delivered to help keep Oklahoma State from getting on the board.
The relay and the tag!! 😱#WCWS x 🎥 ESPN2 / @Vol_Softball pic.twitter.com/Uj3nvSKqzS
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 5, 2023
Tiare Jennings’ birthday hit
Jennings helped lift the Sooners past Stanford with this winning blast. Her two-run double punched Oklahoma’s ticket to the WCWS.
The birthday girl gives the Sooners the lead! 🥳 @_tiarejennings#WCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/EaLwDHttKd
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 5, 2023
Here are the schools ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll (games as of June 13):
1. Oklahoma 61-1 (25 first-place votes)
2. Florida State 58-11
3. Stanford 47-15
4. Tennessee 51-10
5. Washington 44-15
6. Oklahoma State 47-16
7. Alabama 45-22
8. Utah 42-16
9. Clemson 49-12
10. Duke 48-12
11. Texas 45-15-1
12. Georgia 42-15
13. Northwestern 42-132
14. Oregon 38-17
15. UCLA 52-7
16. Louisiana 50-16
17. Arkansas 40-19
18. San Diego State 39-17
19. Auburn 43-19
20. LSU 42-17
21. Florida 38-22
22. Baylor 40-18
23. South Carolina 40-22
24. Virginia Tech 39-20
25. Wichita State 44-12
