Road to the Championship

National Participation
There are 291 NCAA member institutions that sponsor Division I Softball teams and are eligible to compete in the National Championship. All 291 programs support approximately more than 6,000 Softball student-athletes across the country.

Selection Process
The Division I Softball Championship provides for a field of 64 teams to compete in the national tournament. Of the 64 teams, 32 teams will receive automatic qualification with the remaining best 32 teams selected on an at-large basis by the Division I Softball Committee. Sixteen teams will be seeded and each of the seeded teams will be placed at one of the regional sites.

Selection Show
The NCAA Division I Softball Championship bracket will be announced during the Selection Show.

Regionals
Regionals for the NCAA Division I Softball Championship will be held on 16 campus sites. At each campus site, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be conducted, and the 16 winning teams advanced to the Super Regionals.

Super Regionals
Super Regionals for the NCAA Division I Softball Championship will be held on eight campus sites. At each site, two teams play in a best-of-three tournament format. The winners from each site advance to the NCAA Women’s College World Series.

Women's College World Series
The NCAA Women’s College World Series will be held at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field in Oklahoma City. The eight teams will compete in a double elimination bracket with the final two teams then competing in a best of three format. The USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field has hosted the annual NCAA Division I Softball Championship in Oklahoma City for years.