# 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the fifteenth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 1996, thirty-two Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of four teams, each in a double elimination format. The 1996 Women's College World Series was held in Columbus, Georgia from May 23 through May 27 and marked the conclusion of the 1996 NCAA Division I softball season. This marked the last time that the Women's College World Series was held in a city other than Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and previewed Golden Park's hosting of softball events for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Arizona won their fourth NCAA championship by defeating Washington 6–4 in the final game. Arizona second baseman Jenny Dalton was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

## Regionals
### Regional No. 1

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Arizona | Arizona | 8$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| Troy State | Troy State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Troy State | Troy State | 0 | Arizona | Arizona | 9 | | | | |
| | | | Florida State | Florida State | 6 | | | | |
| Florida State | Florida State | 3 | Florida State | Florida State | 6 | | | | |
| South Florida | South Florida | 1 | | | | | | | |
| South Florida | South Florida | 1 | | | | Arizona | Arizona | 10 | — |
| | | | | | | Florida State | Florida State | 3 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Florida State | Florida State | 3 | — |
| | | | Florida State | Florida State | 6 | | | | |
| Troy State | Troy State | 5 | South Florida | South Florida | 0 | | | | |
| South Florida | South Florida | 6 | | | | | | | |
Arizona qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 2

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Notre Dame | Notre Dame | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Notre Dame | Notre Dame | 0 | South Carolina | South Carolina | 0 | | | | |
| | | | Michigan | Michigan | 1 | | | | |
| Michigan | Michigan | 3 | Michigan | Michigan | 1 | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 1 | | | | Michigan | Michigan | 10 | — |
| | | | | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | South Carolina | South Carolina | 1 | — |
| | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 6 | | | | |
| Notre Dame | Notre Dame | 3 | Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 0 | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 9 | | | | | | | |
Michigan qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 3

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Iowa | Iowa | 8$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| UNLV | UNLV | 0 | | | | | | | |
| UNLV | UNLV | 0 | Iowa | Iowa | 1 | | | | |
| | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 0 | | | | |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 8$^5$ | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 0 | | | | |
| Northern Illinois | Northern Illinois | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Northern Illinois | Northern Illinois | 0 | | | | Iowa | Iowa | 7 | — |
| | | | | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 2 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 2 | — |
| | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 3 | | | | |
| UNLV | UNLV | 1 | Northern Illinois | Northern Illinois | 0 | | | | |
| Northern Illinois | Northern Illinois | 3 | | | | | | | |
Iowa qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 4

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 0 | Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 9$^8$ | | | | |
| | | | Nebraska | Nebraska | 4 | | | | |
| Nebraska | Nebraska | 5 | Nebraska | Nebraska | 4 | | | | |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | 0 | | | | Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 2 | — |
| | | | | | | Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 1 | — |
| | | | Nebraska | Nebraska | 0 | | | | |
| Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 2 | Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 2 | | | | |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | 1 | | | | | | | |
Southwestern Louisiana qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 5

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 5 | | | | | | | |
| Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 2 | Fresno State | Fresno State | 0 | | | | |
| | | | California | California | 1 | | | | |
| California | California | 4 | California | California | 1 | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 1 | | | | California | California | 2$^9$ | — |
| | | | | | | Fresno State | Fresno State | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Fresno State | Fresno State | 1 | — |
| | | | Fresno State | Fresno State | 3$^8$ | | | | |
| Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 1 | Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 2 | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 4 | | | | | | | |
California qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 6

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Princeton | Princeton | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Boston University | Boston University | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Boston University | Boston University | 0 | Princeton | Princeton | 4 | | | | |
| | | | UMass | UMass | 0 | | | | |
| UMass | UMass | 1 | UMass | UMass | 0 | | | | |
| Connecticut | Connecticut | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Connecticut | Connecticut | 0 | | | | Princeton | Princeton | 3 | — |
| | | | | | | Boston University | Boston University | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Boston University | Boston University | 1 | — |
| | | | UMass | UMass | 0 | | | | |
| Boston University | Boston University | 5 | Boston University | Boston University | 1 | | | | |
| Connecticut | Connecticut | 0 | | | | | | | |
Princeton qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 7

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Cal State Northridge | Cal State Northridge | 5 | | | | | | | |
| Southwest Missouri State | Southwest Missouri State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Southwest Missouri State | Southwest Missouri State | 0 | Cal State Northridge | Cal State Northridge | 0 | | | | |
| | | | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 11 | | | | |
| Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 5 | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 11 | | | | |
| UCLA | UCLA | 1 | | | | | | | |
| UCLA | UCLA | 1 | | | | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 1 | 2 |
| | | | | | | UCLA | UCLA | 14$^5$ | 7 |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | UCLA | UCLA | 14$^5$ | 7 |
| | | | Cal State Northridge | Cal State Northridge | 5 | | | | |
| Southwest Missouri State | Southwest Missouri State | 1 | UCLA | UCLA | 7 | | | | |
| UCLA | UCLA | 8 | | | | | | | |
UCLA qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 8

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Indiana | Indiana | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Indiana | Indiana | 1 | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 3 | | | | |
| | | | Washington | Washington | 9 | | | | |
| Washington | Washington | 2 | Washington | Washington | 9 | | | | |
| Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 0 | | | | Washington | Washington | 9$^5$ | — |
| | | | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 1 | — |
| | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 3 | | | | |
| Indiana | Indiana | 8$^6$ | Indiana | Indiana | 0 | | | | |
| Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 0 | | | | | | | |
Washington qualifies for WCWS.

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

* Washington
* Arizona
* UCLA
* Southwestern Louisiana
* California
* Michigan
* Iowa
* Princeton

### Bracket

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Washington | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Princeton | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Princeton | 1 | 1 | Washington | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | California | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Southwestern Louisiana | 0 | 5 | California | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | California | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | California | 2 | | | | 1 | Washington | 8 | — | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | UCLA | 2 | — | | | | | |
| 8 | Princeton | 0 | | | | | | | | 3 | UCLA | 2 | — | | | | |
| 4 | Southwestern Louisiana | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Southwestern Louisiana | 7 | 3 | UCLA | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Southwestern Louisiana | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Washington | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Arizona | 6 |
| 3 | UCLA | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Arizona | 6 |
| 6 | Michigan | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Michigan | 0 | 3 | UCLA | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Arizona | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Arizona | 5 | 2 | Arizona | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 2 | | | | 2 | Arizona | 10$^6$ | — | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | Iowa | 2 | — | | | | | |
| 6 | Michigan | 2 | | | | | | | | 7 | Iowa | 2 | — | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iowa | 3 | 5 | California | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | Iowa | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Championship Game

| School | Top Batter | Stats. |
| Arizona Wildcats | Jenny Dalton (2B) | 1-2 3RBIs HR 2BBs |
| Washington Huskies | Leah Francis (PH) | 1-1 RBI |
| School | Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB |
| Arizona Wildcats | Carrie Dolan (W) | 7.0 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 34 |
| Washington Huskies | Heather Meyer (L) | 1.2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Washington Huskies | Eve Gaw | 5.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 21 |

### All-Tournament Team

The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team
| Pos | Name | School |
| P | Carrie Dolan | Arizona |
| P | Cheryl Longeway | Southwestern Louisiana |
| C | Jennifer Cline | Washington |
| 1B | Traci Conrad | Michigan |
| 2B | Jenny Dalton | Arizona |
| 2B | Sara Pickering | Washington |
| 3B | Lynn Britton | Southwestern Louisiana |
| SS | Tami Storseth | Washington |
| OF | Mindy Williams | Washington |
| OF | Lea Twigg | Iowa |
| OF | Alison Johnsen | Arizona |
| AL | Krista Gomez | Arizona |
| AL | Michelle Churnock | Arizona |
| AL | Lyn Nance | Iowa |