# 2002 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The 2002 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the twenty-first annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2002, forty-eight Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of six teams, each in a double elimination format. The 2002 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 23 through May 27 and marked the conclusion of the 2002 NCAA Division I softball season. California won their first NCAA championship by defeating Arizona 6–0 in the final game. California pitcher Jocelyn Forest was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

## Regionals
### Regional No. 1

Opening Round
* UCLA defeated Liberty, 3–0.
* Georgia defeated UMBC, 2–1.
* South Carolina defeated Eastern Kentucky, 2–1 (8 innings).
Loser's Bracket
* UMBC defeated Liberty, 7–1. Liberty eliminated.
* Eastern Kentucky defeated UMBC, 6–1, UMBC eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Georgia defeated South Carolina, 1–0.
* UCLA defeated Eastern Kentucky, 10–0 (5 innings). Eastern Kentucky eliminated.
* UCLA defeated Georgia, 2–1 (8 innings).
* South Carolina defeated Georgia, 9–3. Georgia eliminated.
* South Carolina defeated UCLA, 2–1.
* UCLA defeated South Carolina, 1–0.
UCLA advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 2

Opening Round
* Arizona defeated Boston University, 4–1.
* DePaul defeated Penn State, 3–1.
* Minnesota defeated Princeton, 2–1.
Loser's Bracket
* Penn State defeated Boston University, 5–1. Boston University eliminated.
* Penn State defeated Princeton, 3–0. Princeton eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* DePaul defeated Minnesota, 2–0 (12 innings).
* Arizona defeated Penn State, 4–3. Penn State eliminated.
* Arizona defeated DePaul, 2–0.
* DePaul defeated Minnesota, 5–3. Minnesota eliminated.
* DePaul defeated Arizona, 6–0.
* Arizona defeated DePaul, 8–0.
Arizona advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 3

Opening Round
* LSU defeated Northwestern State, 3–2 (10 innings).
* Arizona State defeated Mississippi State, 4–1.
* UMass defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 5–3 (13 innings).
Loser's Bracket
* Mississippi State defeated Northwestern State, 9–6. Northwestern State eliminated.
* Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Mississippi State, 10–3. Mississippi State eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Arizona State defeated UMass, 1–0.
* LSU defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 5–2. Louisiana–Lafayette eliminated.
* Arizona State defeated LSU, 3–2 (8 innings).
* LSU defeated UMass, 1–0. UMass eliminated.
* Arizona State defeated LSU, 4–1.
Arizona State advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 4

Opening Round
* Cal State Fullerton defeated Evansville, 3–0.
* Stanford defeated Pacific, 7–0.
* California defeated Fresno State, 2–1 (10 innings).
Loser's Bracket
* Pacific defeated Evansville, 6–0. Evansville eliminated.
* Fresno State defeated Pacific, 1–0. Pacific eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* California defeated Stanford, 1–0.
* Cal State Fullerton defeated Fresno State, 1–0. Fresno State eliminated.
* California defeated Cal State Fullerton, 4–2.
* Cal State Fullerton defeated Stanford, 4–1. Stanford eliminated.
* California defeated Cal State Fullerton, 1–0.
California advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 5

Opening Round
* Texas defeated Army, 4–0.
* Oklahoma defeated Utah, 6–0.
* Texas A&M defeated Arkansas, 6–2.
Loser's Bracket
* Army defeated Utah, 2–0. Utah eliminated.
* Arkansas defeated Army, 2–0. Army eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Oklahoma defeated Texas A&M, 7–0.
* Texas defeated Arkansas, 6–2. Arkansas eliminated.
* Oklahoma defeated Texas, 4–1.
* Texas A&M defeated Texas, 2–1. Texas eliminated.
* Oklahoma defeated Texas A&M, 8–1.
Oklahoma advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 6

Opening Round
* Washington defeated Oakland, 8–0 (5 innings).
* Michigan defeated Canisius, 5–0.
* Ohio State defeated Central Michigan, 7–0.
Loser's Bracket
* Oakland defeated Canisius, 3–1. Canisius eliminated.
* Central Michigan defeated Oakland, 2–1. Oakland eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Michigan defeated Ohio State, 3–0.
* Washington defeated Central Michigan, 4–1. Central Michigan eliminated.
* Michigan defeated Washington, 6–5.
* Ohio State defeated Washington, 2–1. Washington eliminated.
* Michigan defeated Ohio State, 4–0.
Michigan advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 7

Opening Round
* Nebraska defeated UIC, 1–0.
* Oregon State defeated Wisconsin, 1–0.
* Notre Dame defeated Iowa, 3–2.
Loser's Bracket
* UIC defeated Wisconsin, 2–0. Wisconsin eliminated.
* Iowa defeated UIC, 3–1. UIC eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Oregon State defeated Notre Dame, 2–0.
* Nebraska defeated Iowa, 3–0. Iowa eliminated.
* Nebraska defeated Oregon State, 7–0.
* Notre Dame defeated Oregon State, 2–0. Oregon State eliminated.
* Nebraska defeated Notre Dame, 5–3.
Nebraska advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 8

Opening Round
* Chattanooga Mocs defeated Florida Atlantic, 4–3.
* Georgia Tech defeated Alabama, 3–1 (10 innings).
* Florida State defeated Auburn, 2–1.
Loser's Bracket
* Florida Atlantic defeated Alabama, 2–1. Alabama eliminated.
* Florida Atlantic defeated Auburn, 4–2. Auburn eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Georgia Tech defeated Florida State, 7–0.
* Chattanooga defeated Florida Atlantic, 6–1. Florida Atlantic eliminated.
* Georgia Tech defeated Chattanooga, 3–0.
* Florida State defeated Chattanooga, 1–0 (8 innings). Chattanooga eliminated.
* Florida State defeated Georgia Tech, 3–0.
* Florida State defeated Georgia Tech, 6–1.
Florida State advances to WCWS.

## Women's College World Series
### Participants

| School | Conference | Record | Head coach | WCWS appearances† (Including 2002 WCWS) |
| Arizona | Pac-10 | 52–11 | Mike Candrea | 15 |
| Arizona State | Pac-10 | 44–18 | Linda Wells | 4 |
| California | Pac-10 | 52–19 | Diane Ninemire | 8 |
| Florida State | ACC | 53–18 | JoAnne Graf | 6 |
| Michigan | Big Ten | 50–9 | Carol Hutchins | 6 |
| Nebraska | Big 12 | 49–12 | Rhonda Revelle | 6* |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | 49–14 | Patty Gasso | 3 |
| UCLA | Pac-10 | 54–7 | Sue Enquist | 19** |
*: Excludes Nebraska's vacated 1985 WCWS participation. **: Excludes UCLA's vacated 1995 WCWS participation.
†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.

### Results
#### Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | UCLA | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Florida State | 2$^9$ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Florida State | 2$^9$ | 8 | Florida State | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | California | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | California | 4 | 4 | California | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 2 | | | | 4 | California | 3 | – | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Arizona State | 0 | – | | | | | |
| 1 | UCLA | 2 | | | | | | | | 3 | Arizona State | 0 | – | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 0 | 1 | UCLA | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Arizona State | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | California | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Arizona | 0 |
| 3 | Arizona State | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Arizona | 0 |
| 6 | Michigan | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Michigan | 1 | 3 | Arizona State | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Arizona | 1$^8$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Nebraska | 0 | 2 | Arizona | 1$^8$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Arizona | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Arizona | 1 | | | | 2 | Arizona | 6$^{11}$ | – | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Florida State | 2 | – | | | | | |
| 6 | Michigan | 0 | | | | | | | | 8 | Florida State | 2 | – | | | | |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1 | 7 | Nebraska | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Florida State | 4 | | | | | | | | | |

#### Game results

| Date | Game | Winner | Score | Loser | Notes |
| 5/23/2002 | Game 01 | Florida State | 2 - 1 | UCLA | 9 Innings |
| 5/23/2002 | Game 02 | California | 4 - 2 | Oklahoma | |
| 5/23/2002 | Game 03 | Arizona State | 2 - 1 | Michigan | |
| 5/23/2002 | Game 04 | Arizona | 1 - 0 | Nebraska | |
| 5/24/2002 | Game 05 | California | 1 - 0 | Florida State | |
| 5/24/2002 | Game 06 | Arizona | 1 - 0 | Arizona State | 8 Innings |
| 5/25/2002 | Game 07 | UCLA | 2 - 0 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma eliminated |
| 5/25/2002 | Game 08 | Nebraska | 1 - 0 | Michigan | Michigan eliminated |
| 5/25/2002 | Game 09 | Arizona State | 2 - 1 | UCLA | UCLA eliminated |
| 5/25/2002 | Game 10 | Florida State | 4 - 3 | Nebraska | Nebraska eliminated |
| 5/26/2002 | Game 11 | California | 3 - 0 | Arizona State | Arizona State eliminated If Necessary Game (Game 13) not necessary |
| 5/26/2002 | Game 12 | Arizona | 6 - 2 | Florida State | 11 Innings Florida State eliminated If Necessary Game (Game 14) not necessary |
| 5/26/2002 | Game 13 | -- | -- | -- | Arizona State / California If Necessary Game (Game 13) not necessary |
| 5/26/2002 | Game 14 | -- | -- | -- | Florida State / Arizona If Necessary Game (Game 14) not necessary |
| 5/27/2002 | Championship game | California | 6 - 0 | Arizona | California Wins 2002 WCWS |

#### Championship game

| School | Top Batter | Stats. |
| California | Jessica Pamanian (2B) | 2-3 3RBIs 2B |
| Arizona | Mackenzie Vandergeest (C) | 1-3 K |
| School | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB | BF |
| California | Jocelyn Forest (W) | 7.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 25 |
| Arizona | Jennie Finch (L) | 6.2 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 33 |
| Arizona | Jenny Gladding | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |

### All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team:
| Position | Player | Class | School |
| Pitcher | Erica Beach | Senior | Arizona State |
| Pitcher | Jennie Finch | Senior | Arizona |
| Pitcher | Keira Goerl | Sophomore | UCLA |
| Pitcher | Leslie Malerich | Senior | Florida State |
| Catcher | Stacey Nuveman | Senior | UCLA |
| 1st Base | Veronica Nelson | Junior | California |
| 1st Base | Leneah Manuma | Sophomore | Arizona |
| Shortstop | Chelsea Spencer | Freshman | California |
| Shortstop | Natasha Watley | Junior | UCLA |
| 3rd Base | Jackie Coburn | Freshman | Arizona |
| Outfield | Kristin Farber | Sophomore | Arizona State |
| Most Outstanding Player | Jocelyn Forest | Senior | California |