The 2023 NCAA Division I softball season, play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began in February 2023. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2023 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 2023 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA tournament and held annually in Oklahoma City at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, ended in June 2023.
Realignment
Five schools began transitions from NCAA Division II to Division I on July 1, 2022. Lindenwood and Southern Indiana joined the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Queens joined the ASUN Conference (which has since reverted to its past name of Atlantic Sun Conference). Stonehill joined the Northeast Conference (NEC). Texas A&M–Commerce joined the Southland Conference (SLC).
A total of 17 softball-sponsoring schools changed conferences after the 2022 season. Austin Peay, Belmont, and Murray State left the Ohio Valley Conference. Peay joined the ASUN, and Belmont and Murray State joined the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Bryant and Mount St. Mary's left the NEC, respectively for the America East Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Hampton, Monmouth, North Carolina A&T, and Stony Brook joined the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA; since renamed the Coastal Athletic Association). Hampton and A&T left the Big South Conference (the latter after only one season), Monmouth the MAAC, and Stony Brook the America East. Hartford, which began a transition to NCAA Division III in the 2021–22 school year, left the America East to become an independent for 2022–23 before joining the D-III Commonwealth Coast Conference in 2023. James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss joined the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). James Madison left the CAA, while the others left Conference USA (CUSA). Lamar, which had announced it would leave the WAC to return to its former home of the SLC in 2023–24, expedited this move to 2022–23. UIC left the Horizon League for the MVC. UT Arlington left the SBC for the WAC.
Incarnate Word had announced plans to leave the SLC for the WAC after the 2022 season, but days before that move was to take effect, the school announced it was staying in the SLC.
The 2023 season was the last for 14 softball schools in their current conferences, as well as the aforementioned Hartford's only season as a D-I independent. BYU, Houston, and UCF moved to the Big 12 Conference. BYU left the West Coast Conference, while the others left the American Athletic Conference (The American). Campbell left the Big South for the CAA. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, UAB, and UTSA left CUSA for The American. Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston joined CUSA. Jacksonville State and Liberty left the ASUN, and New Mexico State and Sam Houston the WAC. Western Illinois left the Summit League for the Ohio Valley Conference.
Other changes from 2022 Two Division I members, both sponsoring softball, adopted new names after the 2022 season. Neither school's nickname was affected. Dixie State University changed its forward-facing name to Utah Tech University in May 2022, ahead of the legal name change on July 1. The nickname remains Trailblazers. Houston Baptist University became Houston Christian University on September 21, 2022. The nickname remains Huskies.
Other headlines On December 29, 2022, the Big West Conference announced it would add a softball tournament effective as early as the 2025 season. The 2025 start date was later confirmed by a vote of the conference chancellors and presidents, with an official announcement in October 2023.
Season outlook
USA Today/NFCA DI Coaches PollRankingTeam 1 Oklahoma 2 UCLA 3 4 5 Florida State 6 Texas 7 8 9 10 Clemson 11 12 13 Tennessee 14 15 16 17 18 19 Oregon State 20 21 22 23 24 25 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate PollRankingTeam 1 Oklahoma 2 UCLA 3 4 Florida State 5 6 7 8 9 Texas 10 Clemson 11 12 Tennessee 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Louisiana 25 Oregon State D1SoftballRankingTeam 1 Oklahoma 2 UCLA 3 4 Florida State 5 6 7 8 9 Clemson 10 11 12 Tennessee 13 14 Texas 15 16 17 18 19 20 Louisiana 21 22 23 24 25 Softball AmericaRankingTeam 1 Oklahoma 2 3 Florida State 4 UCLA 5 6 7 8 9 Texas 10 Clemson 11 12 13 Tennessee 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Michigan 22 Louisiana 23 24 Oregon State 25
Conference standings
Awards USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year: Valerie Cagle, Clemson NFCA National Player of the Year: Skylar Wallace, Florida Softball America Player of the Year: Valerie Cagle, Clemson NFCA National Pitcher of the Year: Ashley Rogers, Tennessee Softball America Pitcher of the Year: Montana Fouts, Alabama NFCA National Freshman of the Year: NiJaree Canady, Stanford Softball America Freshman of the Year: NiJaree Canady, Stanford Softball America Defensive Player of the Year: Grace Lyons, Oklahoma NFCA Catcher of the Year: Terra McGowan, Oregon NFCA Golden Shoe Award: Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
All-America Teams The following players were members of the All-American Teams.
First Team Position Player Class School P Ashley Rogers GS Tennessee Megan Faraimo R-SR. UCLA Montana Fouts GS Alabama C Terra McGowan R-SR. Oregon 1B Baylee Klingler GS Washington 2B Tiare Jennings JR. Oklahoma 3B Alyssa Brito SO. Oklahoma SS Skylar Wallace R-JR. Florida OF Kiki Milloy SR. Tennessee Jayda Coleman JR. Oklahoma Jayda Kearney JR. Georgia UT Valerie Cagle JR. Clemson Rylin Hedgecock R-JR. ArkansasAT-L Sydney McKinney SR. Wichita State Maya Brady R-JR. UCLA Jordy Bahl SO. Oklahoma Maddie Penta JR. Auburn Kinzie Hansen JR. Oklahoma
Second Team Position Player Class School P Kathryn Sandercock R-SR. Florida State Kelly Maxwell R-SR. Oklahoma State Alana Vawter SR. Stanford C Kayla Kowalik GS Kentucky 1B Shaylon Govan SO. Baylor 2B Allee Bunker GS Oregon 3B Megan Grant FR. UCLA SS Erin Coffel JR. Kentucky OF Yannira Acuña GS Arizona State D'Auna Jennings FR. Duke Alex Honnold JR. Missouri UT Taylor Roby R-SR. Louisville Karly Heath JR. LouisianaAT-L Taryn Kern FR. Indiana McKenna Gibson SO. Tennessee Rachel Becker GS Oklahoma State Autumn Pease GS Minnesota Chenise Delce R-SR. Arkansas
Third Team Position Player Class School P Lexi Kilfoyl SR. Oklahoma State Sydney Berzon FR. LSU Mariah Lopez JR. Utah C Taylor Krapf SO. Minnesota Julia Cottrill JR. Texas A&M 1B Jordan Woolery FR. UCLA 2B Sydney Kuma JR. Georgia 3B Makena Smith SR. California SS Billie Andrews SR. Nebraska OF Sami Reynolds GS Washington Mihyia Davis FR. Louisiana Ashley Trierweiler R-SO. Santa Clara UT Brianna Copeland FR. Indiana Kayla Konwent GS WisconsinAT-L Ruby Meylan FR. Washington Taylor Minnick SO. Indiana Autumn Owen SO. Marshall Kiley Naomi GS Oklahoma State Kayla Roncin JR. Boston University
See also 2023 NCAA Division I baseball season
References