# 2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The 2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the twentieth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2001, 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 2001 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 24 through May 28 and marked the conclusion of the 2001 NCAA Division I softball season. Arizona won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating UCLA 1–0 in the final game. Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

## Regionals
### Regional No. 1

Opening Round
* Arizona defeated Saint Peter's, 4–2
* Cal State Fullerton defeated Texas Tech, 1–0
* Texas State defeated Hawaii, 2–1
Loser's Bracket
* Texas Tech defeated Saint Peter's, 3–2. Saint Peter's eliminated.
* Texas Tech defeated Hawaii, 4–2. Hawaii eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Cal State Fullerton defeated Texas State, 10–1 (5 innings).
* Arizona defeated Texas Tech, 8–0 (6 innings). Texas Tech eliminated
* Arizona defeated Texas State, 6–2.
* Texas State defeated Cal State Fullerton, 4–3.
* Arizona defeated Cal State Fullerton, 5–4.
Arizona advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 2

Opening Round
* UCLA defeated Coastal Carolina, 8–0 (5 innings).
* Wisconsin defeated Fresno State, 3–1 (9 innings).
* San Diego State defeated Cal State Northridge, 2–0.
Loser's Bracket
* Fresno State defeated Coastal Carolina, 6–4. Coastal Carolina eliminated.
* Cal State Northridge defeated Fresno State, 3–1. Fresno State eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 1–0.
* UCLA defeated Cal State Northridge, 9–0. Cal State Northridge eliminated.
* UCLA defeated San Diego State, 3–1.
* San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 6–1. Wisconsin eliminated.
* UCLA defeated San Diego State, 11–0 (5 innings).
UCLA advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 3

Opening Round
* LSU defeated Cornell, 8–0 (6 innings).
* Arizona State defeated Penn State, 4–1.
* Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Southern Miss, 5–1.
Loser's Bracket
* Penn State defeated Cornell, 5–0. Cornell eliminated.
* Penn State defeated Southern Miss, 1–0. Southern Miss eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Arizona State defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.
* LSU defeated Penn State, 2–1. Penn State eliminated.
* LSU defeated Arizona State, 3–2.
* Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Arizona State, 5–0. Arizona State eliminated.
* LSU defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.
LSU advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 4

Opening Round
* Alabama defeated UIC, 8–2.
* Michigan defeated Chattanooga, 1–0.
* South Florida defeated Oregon State, 2–1.
Loser's Bracket
* Chattanooga defeated UIC, 5–2. UIC eliminated.
* Oregon State defeated Chattanooga, 13–0 (5 innings). Chattanooga eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Michigan defeated South Florida, 6–2 (13 innings).
* Alabama defeated Oregon State, 1–0. Oregon State eliminated.
* Michigan defeated Alabama, 3–2.
* South Florida defeated Alabama, 3–2. Alabama eliminated.
* Michigan defeated South Florida, 12–5.
Michigan advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 5

Opening Round
* Oklahoma defeated Lehigh, 9–2.
* Washington defeated Seton Hall, 6–0.
* UMass defeated North Carolina, 4–2.
Loser's Bracket
* Lehigh defeated Seton Hall, 2–0. Seton Hall eliminated.
* North Carolina defeated Lehigh, 4–0. Lehigh eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Washington defeated UMass, 8–0 (5 innings).
* Oklahoma defeated North Carolina, 13–0 (5 innings). North Carolina eliminated.
* Oklahoma defeated Washington, 3–2.
* Washington defeated UMass, 7–1. UMass eliminated.
* Oklahoma defeated Washington, 10–2.
Oklahoma advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 6

Opening Round
* Nebraska defeated BYU, 3–1.
* Pacific defeated Central Michigan, 8–0 (6 innings).
* Stanford defeated Hofstra, 4–0.
Loser's Bracket
* Hofstra defeated BYU, 4–2. BYU eliminated.
* Central Michigan defeated Hofstra, 10–0 (5 innings). Hofstra eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Nebraska defeated Pacific, 2–1 (8 innings).
* Stanford defeated Central Michigan, 6–0. Central Michigan eliminated.
* Stanford defeated Nebraska, 5–1.
* Pacific defeated Nebraska, 3–1. Nebraska eliminated.
* Pacific defeated Stanford, 2–0.
* Stanford defeated Pacific, 9–1 (5 innings).
Stanford advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 7

Opening Round
* Notre Dame defeated Western Illinois, 8–0 (5 innings).
* Iowa defeated Illinois State, 2–1.
* DePaul defeated South Carolina, 3–2 (9 innings).
Loser's Bracket
* Illinois State defeated Western Illinois, 4–0. Western Illinois eliminated.
* Illinois State defeated South Carolina, 1–0. South Carolina eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* Iowa defeated DePaul, 7–4.
* Notre Dame defeated Illinois State, 2–1. Illinois State eliminated.
* Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–0.
* Notre Dame defeated DePaul, 8–1. DePaul eliminated.
* Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–2.
Iowa advances to WCWS.

### Regional No. 8

Opening Round
* Florida State defeated Bethune–Cookman, 6–2.
* California defeated Connecticut, 2–0.
* Florida Atlantic defeated Florida, 3–0.
Loser's Bracket
* Connecticut defeated Bethune–Cookman, 2–1. Bethune–Cookman eliminated.
* Florida defeated Connecticut, 8–0 (5 innings). Connecticut eliminated.
Semifinals and Finals
* California defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0.
* Florida State defeated Florida, 6–2. Florida eliminated.
* California defeated Florida State, 1–0.
* Florida State defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0. Florida Atlantic eliminated.
* Florida State defeated California, 2–1.
* California defeated Florida State, 3–2 (10 innings).
California advances to WCWS.

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

| School | Conference | Record | Head coach | WCWS appearances† (Including 2001 WCWS) |
| Arizona | Pac-10 | 62–4 | Mike Candrea | 14 |
| California | Pac-10 | 53–16 | Diane Ninemire | 6 |
| Iowa | Big Ten | 47–11 | Gayle Blevins | 4 |
| LSU | SEC | 57–9 | Yvette Girouard | 1 |
| Michigan | Big Ten | 43–15–1 | Carol Hutchins | 5 |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | 50–7 | Patty Gasso | 2 |
| Stanford | Pac-10 | 52–14–1 | John Rittman | 1 |
| UCLA | Pac-10 | 59–5 | Sue Enquist | 18* |
*: 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 | Arizona | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | California | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | California | 2 | 1 | Arizona | 5$^8$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Oklahoma | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Michigan | 0 | 5 | Oklahoma | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 2 | | | | 1 | Arizona | 1 | — | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Stanford | 0 | — | | | | | |
| 8 | California | 5 | | | | | | | | 6 | Stanford | 0 | — | | | | |
| 4 | Michigan | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Michigan | 2 | 6 | Stanford | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | California | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Arizona | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | UCLA | 0 |
| 3 | LSU | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | UCLA | 0 |
| 6 | Stanford | 2$^8$ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Stanford | 2$^8$ | 2 | UCLA | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Stanford | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | UCLA | 2 | 6 | Stanford | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 0 | | | | 2 | UCLA | 6 | — | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | LSU | 0 | — | | | | | |
| 3 | LSU | 2 | | | | | | | | 3 | LSU | 0 | — | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 1 | 5 | Oklahoma | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | LSU | 2$^{13}$ | | | | | | | | | |

#### Game results

| Date | Game | Winner | Score | Loser | Notes |
| 5/24/2001 | Game 1 | Arizona | 3 - 2 | California | |
| 5/24/2001 | Game 2 | Oklahoma | 2 - 0 | Michigan | |
| 5/24/2001 | Game 3 | Stanford | 2 - 1 | LSU | 8 Innings |
| 5/24/2001 | Game 4 | UCLA | 2 - 0 | Iowa | |
| 5/25/2001 | Game 5 | Arizona | 5 - 4 | Oklahoma | 8 Innings |
| 5/25/2001 | Game 6 | UCLA | 5 - 0 | Stanford | |
| 5/26/2001 | Game 7 | California | 5 - 2 | Michigan | Michigan eliminated |
| 5/26/2001 | Game 8 | LSU | 2 - 1 | Iowa | Iowa eliminated |
| 5/26/2001 | Game 9 | Stanford | 1 - 0 | California | California eliminated |
| 5/26/2001 | Game 10 | LSU | 2 - 1 | Oklahoma | 13 Innings Oklahoma eliminated |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 11 | Arizona | 1 - 0 | Stanford | Stanford eliminated If Necessary Game (Game 13) not necessary |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 12 | UCLA | 6 - 0 | LSU | LSU eliminated If Necessary Game (Game 14) not necessary |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 13 | -- | -- | -- | Arizona / Stanford If Necessary Game (Game 13) not necessary |
| 5/27/2001 | Game 14 | -- | -- | -- | UCLA / LSU If Necessary Game (Game 14) not necessary |
| 5/28/2001 | Championship game | Arizona | 1 - 0 | UCLA | Arizona Wins 2001 WCWS |

#### Championship game

| School | Top Batter | Stats. |
| Arizona | Lindsey Collins (C) | 1-3 RBI HR K |
| UCLA | Amanda Freed (P) | 1-3 BB |
| School | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB | BF |
| Arizona | Jennie Finch (W) | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 26 |
| UCLA | Amanda Freed (L) | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 29 |

### All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team:
| Position | Player | Class | School |
| Pitcher | Amanda Freed | Junior | UCLA |
| Pitcher | Britni Sneed | Junior | LSU |
| Pitcher | Jennifer Stewart | Junior | Oklahoma |
| Catcher | Lindsey Collins | Senior | Arizona |
| 1st Base | Tairia Mims | Sophomore | UCLA |
| 3rd Base | Toni Mascarenas | Senior | Arizona |
| 3rd Base | Julie Wiese | Freshman | LSU |
| Outfield | Nicole Giordano | Senior | Arizona |
| Outfield | Jessica Mendoza | Junior | Stanford |
| Outfield | Christy Ring | Junior | Oklahoma |
| Designated Hitter | Claire Sua | Freshman | UCLA |
| Most Outstanding Player | Jennie Finch | Junior | Arizona |