1996 NCAA Division II softball tournament
{{Infobox NCAA Softball Conference Tournament
| Year=1996
| Conference=NCAA Division II
| ShortConference=NCAA Division II
| Division=II
| Gender=Women's
| Image=
| ImageSize=
| Caption=
| Teams=
| Format= Double-elimination tournament
| Ballpark=Trusler Sports Complex
| City={{flagicon|Kansas}} Emporia, Kansas
| Champions=Kennesaw State
| TitleCount=2nd
| RunnerUp=Nebraska–Omaha
| RunnerUpGameCount=1st
| Coach=Scott Whitlock
| CoachCount=2nd
| MVP=
| MVPTeam=
| Attendance=2,558
| Television =
}}
The 1996 NCAA Division II softball tournament was the 15th annual postseason tournament hosted by the NCAA to determine the national champion of softball among its Division II members in the United States, held at the end of the 1996 NCAA Division II softball season.{{cite web |title=DIVISION II SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK |url=http://fs.ncaa.org.s3.amazonaws.com/Docs/stats/SB_Records/D2champs.pdf |website=NCAA.org |publisher=NCAA |access-date=20 July 2024}}
The final, eight-team double elimination tournament, also known as the Division II Women's College World Series, was played at the Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia, Kansas.
Defending champions Kennesaw State defeated Nebraska–Omaha in the final game of the championship series, 6–4, to capture the Owls' second Division II national title.
Bracket
=College World Series=
{{8TeamBracket-2Elim|style = 2
| RD1=First Round
| RD2=Second Round
| RD2b=Second Round
| RD3=Third Round
| RD3b=Third Round
| RD4=Semifinals
| RD5=Third place final
| RD6=Championship final
| seeds=no
| team-width=155
| score-width=30
| boldwinner=high
| byes=no
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01=Nebraska–Kearney
| RD1-score01=1 (8)
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02=UC Davis
| RD1-score02=0
| RD1-seed03=
| RD1-team03=Florida Southern
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04=Kennesaw State
| RD1-score04=2 (8)
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05=California (PA)
| RD1-score05=1 (9)
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06=Wisconsin–Parkside
| RD1-score06=0
| RD1-seed07=
| RD1-team07=American International
| RD1-score07=2
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD1-score08=3
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Nebraska–Kearney
| RD2-score01=0
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=Kennesaw State
| RD2-score02=3
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=California (PA)
| RD2-score03=1
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD2-score04=2 (13)
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=Wisconsin–Parkside
| RD2-score05=1
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=American International
| RD2-score06=2
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=UC Davis
| RD2-score07=2
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=Florida Southern
| RD2-score08=0
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Kennesaw State
| RD3-score01=7
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD3-score02=1
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-team03=Nebraska–Kearney
| RD3-score03=1 (8)
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=American International
| RD3-score04=0
| RD3-seed05=
| RD3-team05=California (PA)
| RD3-score05=0
| RD3-seed06=
| RD3-team06=UC Davis
| RD3-score06=7
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Kennesaw State
| RD4-score01=1
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=UC Davis
| RD4-score02=5
| RD4-seed03=
| RD4-team03=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD4-score03=2 (8)
| RD4-seed04=
| RD4-team04=Nebraska–Kearney
| RD4-score04=1
| RD5-seed01=
| RD5-team01=UC Davis
| RD5-score01=0
| RD5-seed02=
| RD5-team02=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD5-score02=4
| RD6-seed01=
| RD6-team01=Kennesaw State
| RD6-score01=6
| RD6-seed02=
| RD6-team02=Nebraska–Omaha
| RD6-score02=4
}}
All-tournament team
- Trisha Reinhardt, 1B, UC Davis
- Jill McCaslin, 2B, Nebraska–Kearney
- Kathy Morgan, SS, Kennesaw State
- Mindy Hahne, 3B, Nebraska–Omaha
- Beth Clifford, OF, UC Davis
- Kristine MacLean, OF, American International
- Jenni Upenieks, OF, Nebraska–Omaha
- Kelly Rafter, P, Kennesaw State
- Denise Peterson, P, Nebraska–Omaha
- Nada Hlohovsky, C, Kennesaw State
- Dana Boyer, AL, California (PA)
- Danielle Penner, AL, California (PA)
- Gena Weber, AL, UC Davis
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NCAA Division II softball tournament navbox}}