WCWS format 2024: Double elimination, championship series rules for Women's College World Series
The marquee event on the college softball calendar has arrived, as eight teams travel to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with one common mission: win the Women's College World Series.
On top of No. 1 overall seed Texas and three-time reigning national champion Oklahoma — the 2 seed — making it to Devon Park, this year's WCWS features a diverse field of seedings with a 4 seed in Florida, a 5 seed in Oklahoma State, a 6 seed UCLA, an 8 seed in Stanford and two double-digit seeds in 10 seed Duke and 14 seed Alabama.
MORE: Watch the 2024 Women's College World Series with Fubo (free trial)
The Sooners are chasing history this year at Devon Park, as Patty Grasso's squad looks to become the first team in history to four-peat as national champions. The favorite to stop Oklahoma's bid is Texas, led by national player of the year finalist Reese Atwood. A potential championship matchup between the Sooners and Longhorns would certainly provide for some entertainment, as both Big 12 foes head to the SEC next season.
Here's what you need to know about the structure of the WCWS from its format, bracket and schedule:
Women's College World Series format, explained
The Women's College World Series begins with eight teams divided into two four-team brackets, each of which competes in a double-elimination similar to the regional round of the NCAA softball tournament. From there, one team advances out of each bracket to compete in a best-of-three championship series, the loser of which is named national runner up, whereas the winner is crowned national champion.
Double elimination
Like the regional round of the NCAA softball tournament, the WCWS begins as a double-elimination style tournament with two four-team brackets.
Each team begins with a 0-0 record in the first round, which comprises four games total. Those who lose these games fall to 0-1, and will be paired in an elimination game. Whoever falls in the "loser's bracket" game will fall to 0-2 and is eliminated from the field, with the winner (1-1) living to see another day.
Meanwhile, those who win their first-round game will advance to 1-0 and the second round of their bracket. Teams that win the second-round game advance to the WCWS semifinals with a 2-0 record, needing only one more win to advance to the championship series.
As for the loser of each "winner's bracket" game, it will drop to 1-1 in WCWS play and be forced to play in an elimination game — in the opposite bracket. There, it will play the winner of that bracket's "loser's bracket" game. The loser falls to 1-2 and is eliminated, while the winner (2-1) advances to the WCWS semifinals needing two wins to advance to the championship series.
Teams that advance to the championship must play a minimum of three games, and no more than five, in the double-elimination portion of the WCWS. They must also win either three or four games, depending on whether they advance from the "winner's" or "loser's" bracket.
Below are the roads a team can take to the championship series, with their accompanying record:
Three games: Win first-, second-round games and semifinal game (3-0 record)
Four games: Win first- and second-round games, lose first semifinal game, win second (3-1)
Five games: Lose first- or second-round game, win out in loser's bracket (4-1)
Championship series
Like the super regional round of the NCAA softball tournament, the WCWS championship series is a best-of-three series. To win the WCWS, a team must win two games. This can be accomplished in a two-game sweep or in a winner-take-all Game 3 (after losing either of Games 1 or 2).
Taking both the double elimination round and championship series into account, the fewest number of games needed to win the WCWS is five: three in the double elimination portion and two in the championship series. The maximum number of games a team must play to win the championship is eight: five in the double elimination portion, and three in the championship series.
Can you get run-ruled in the Women's College World Series?
Yes. For the second straight season, the run-ahead rule in college softball will be enforced for the 2024 WCWS, as previously confirmed to the USA TODAY Network through the NCAA's 2023-24 pre-championship manual.
Per Rule 6.14 of the "2024 and 2025 Softball Rules Book", college softball's run-rule reads:
"A regulation eight-run-rule game shall be declared by the plate umpire if one team is ahead by eight or more runs after five or more equal innings. Complete innings must be played unless the home team reaches the eight-run lead while at bat in the last inning. Any hit that results in an eight-run lead by the home team (after 4 1/2 innings) is treated as a game-ending hit. (See Rule 14.5.)
"Whenever the visiting team reaches the limit in the fifth or any inning thereafter, the home team must have its opportunity to bat in the bottom half of the inning."
REQUIRED READING: College softball run rule: Why NCAA Tournament, Women's College World Series games can end early
Women's College World Series bracket 2024
Bracket 1 for the 2024 WCWS consists of Texas, Florida, Oklahoma State and Stanford, while Bracket 2 will consist of Oklahoma, UCLA, Duke and Alabama.
Here's a full breakdown of the two WCWS brackets:
Bracket 1:
1-seed Texas vs. 8-seed Stanford
4-seed Florida vs. 5-seed Oklahoma State
Bracket 2:
2-seed Oklahoma vs. 10-seed Duke
6-seed UCLA vs. 14-seed Alabama
Ncaa
Embedded content: https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/styles/original/public-s3/images/2024/05/26/WCWS-bracket.png?itok=BYcs_MUP
REQUIRED READING: Why did Jordy Bahl transfer from Oklahoma to Nebraska? Why former OU star left Sooners
Women's College World Series schedule 2024
The first set of games in the Women's College World Series begins on Thursday, May 30 at 11 a.m. CT between 6-seed UCLA and 14-seed Alabama. Here's the full schedule from opening rounds to the championship series for the 2024 Women's College World Series, including start times and TV channel information:
All times Central
Thursday, May 30
WCWS Game 1: No. 14 Alabama vs. No. 6 UCLA | 11 a.m. | ESPN (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 2: No. 10 Duke vs. No. 2 Oklahoma | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 3: No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 1 Texas | 6 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 4: No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. No. 4 Florida | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
Friday, May 31
WCWS Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser | 6 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 6: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
Saturday, June 1
WCWS Game 7: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner | 2 p.m. | ABC (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner | 6 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo) | ESPN+
Sunday, June 2
WCWS Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser | 2 p.m. | ABC (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser | 56 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPNU (Fubo) | ESPN+
Monday, June 3
WCWS Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner | 11 a.m. | ESPN (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 12 (if necessary): Game 11 winner vs. Game 11 loser | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 13: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner | 6 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS Game 14: Game 13 winner vs. Game 13 loser | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo) | ESPN+
WCWS championship series schedule
Wednesday, June 5
Thursday, June 6
Friday, June 7
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 2024 WCWS double elimination, championship series format, explained
