1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament

{{Infobox NCAA softball tournament |

| Year= 1996

| Image=

| ImageSize=

| Caption=

| Teams=32

| WCWSBallpark=Golden Park

| City=Columbus, Georgia

| Champions=Arizona

| TitleCount=4th

| Runner-Up=Washington

| WCWSCount=1st

| Coach=Mike Candrea

| CoachCount=4th

| MOP=Jenny Dalton

| MOPTeam=Arizona

| Attendance=

| Television=

}}

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.{{cite news|url=http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/chuck-williams/article80802732.html|newspaper=Ledger-Enquirer|location=Columbus, Georgia|author=Chuck Williams|date=May 30, 1996|access-date=July 18, 2017|title=College softball's a hit; so is Columbus}} 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.{{cite book|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_wcws_rb/2015/11-90s.pdf|title=2015 WCWS Records: 1990s Brackets/Rosters/Stats|publisher=NCAA|access-date=July 18, 2017}}{{cite book|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_wcws_rb/2015/06-Results.pdf|publisher=NCAA|title=2015 WCWS Records: WCWS All-Time Results|access-date=July 18, 2017}}

Qualifying

Regionals

=Regional No. 1=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01=Arizona

| RD1-score01=8⁵

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Troy State Trojans|title=Troy State}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Florida State Seminoles|title=Florida State}}

| RD1-score03=3

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=South Florida Bulls|title=South Florida}}

| RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Troy State

| RD1-score05=5

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=South Florida

| RD1-score06=6

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Arizona

| RD2-score01=9

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Florida State

| RD2-score02=6

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Florida State

| RD2-score03=6

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=South Florida

| RD2-score04=0

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Arizona

| RD3-score01-1=10

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Florida State

| RD3-score02-1=3

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Arizona qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 2=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=South Carolina Gamecocks|title=South Carolina}}

| RD1-score01=3

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Notre Dame Fighting Irish|title=Notre Dame}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Michigan Wolverines|title=Michigan}}

| RD1-score03=3

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Central Michigan Chippewas|title=Central Michigan}}

| RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Notre Dame

| RD1-score05=3

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Central Michigan

| RD1-score06=9

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=South Carolina

| RD2-score01=0

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Michigan

| RD2-score02=1

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=South Carolina

| RD2-score03=6

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Central Michigan

| RD2-score04=0

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Michigan

| RD3-score01-1=10

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=South Carolina

| RD3-score02-1=1

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Michigan qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 3=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=Iowa Hawkeyes|title=Iowa}}

| RD1-score01=8⁵

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=UNLV Rebels|title=UNLV}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Oklahoma Sooners|title=Oklahoma}}

| RD1-score03=8⁵

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Northern Illinois Huskies|title=Northern Illinois}}

| RD1-score04=0

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=UNLV

| RD1-score05=1

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Northern Illinois

| RD1-score06=3

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Iowa

| RD2-score01=1

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Oklahoma

| RD2-score02=0

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Oklahoma

| RD2-score03=3

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Northern Illinois

| RD2-score04=0

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Iowa

| RD3-score01-1=7

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Oklahoma

| RD3-score02-1=2

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Iowa qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 4=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{nowrap|{{csb link|year=1996|team=Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns|title=Southwestern Louisiana}}}}

| RD1-score01=1

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Nicholls State Colonels|title=Nicholls State}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Nebraska Cornhuskers|title=Nebraska}}

| RD1-score03=5

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Minnesota Golden Gophers|title=Minnesota}}

| RD1-score04=0

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Nicholls State

| RD1-score05=2

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Minnesota

| RD1-score06=1

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01={{nowrap|Southwestern Louisiana}}

| RD2-score01=9⁸

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Nebraska

| RD2-score02=4

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Nebraska

| RD2-score03=0

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Nicholls State

| RD2-score04=2

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01={{nowrap|Southwestern Louisiana}}

| RD3-score01-1=2

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Nicholls State

| RD3-score02-1=1

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Southwestern Louisiana qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 5=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=Fresno State Bulldogs|title=Fresno State}}

| RD1-score01=5

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Texas A&M Aggies|title=Texas A&M}}

| RD1-score02=2

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=California Golden Bears|title=California}}

| RD1-score03=4

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Long Beach State 49ers|title=Long Beach State}}

| RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Texas A&M

| RD1-score05=1

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Long Beach State

| RD1-score06=4

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Fresno State

| RD2-score01=0

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=California

| RD2-score02=1

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Fresno State

| RD2-score03=3⁸

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Long Beach State

| RD2-score04=2

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=California

| RD3-score01-1=2⁹

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Fresno State

| RD3-score02-1=1

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

California qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 6=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=Princeton Tigers|title=Princeton}}

| RD1-score01=1

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Boston University Terriers|title=Boston University}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=UMass Minutewomen|title=UMass}}

| RD1-score03=1

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Connecticut Huskies|title=Connecticut}}

| RD1-score04=0

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Boston University

| RD1-score05=5

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Connecticut

| RD1-score06=0

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Princeton

| RD2-score01=4

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=UMass

| RD2-score02=0

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=UMass

| RD2-score03=0

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Boston University

| RD2-score04=1

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Princeton

| RD3-score01-1=3

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Boston University

| RD3-score02-1=1

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Princeton qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 7=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=Cal State Northridge Matadors|title=Cal State Northridge}}

| RD1-score01=5

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{nowrap|{{csb link|year=1996|team=Southwest Missouri State Lady Bears|title=Southwest Missouri State}}}}

| RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Cal State Fullerton Titans|title=Cal State Fullerton}}

| RD1-score03=5

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=UCLA Bruins|title=UCLA}}

| RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Southwest Missouri State

| RD1-score05=1

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=UCLA

| RD1-score06=8

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Cal State Northridge

| RD2-score01=0

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Cal State Fullerton

| RD2-score02=11

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Cal State Northridge

| RD2-score03=5

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=UCLA

| RD2-score04=7

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Cal State Fullerton

| RD3-score01-1=1

| RD3-score01-2=2

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=UCLA

| RD3-score02-1=14⁵

| RD3-score02-2=7

}}

UCLA qualifies for WCWS.

=Regional No. 8=

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed01=

| RD1-team01={{csb link|year=1996|team=Oklahoma State Cowgirls|title=Oklahoma State}}

| RD1-score01=2

| RD1-seed02=

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Indiana Hoosiers|title=Indiana}}

| RD1-score02=1

| RD1-seed03=

| RD1-team03=Washington

| RD1-score03=2

| RD1-seed04=

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=Jacksonville State Gamecocks|title=Jacksonville State}}

| RD1-score04=0

| RD1-seed05=

| RD1-team05=Indiana

| RD1-score05=8⁶

| RD1-seed06=

| RD1-team06=Jacksonville State

| RD1-score06=0

| RD2-seed01=

| RD2-team01=Oklahoma State

| RD2-score01=3

| RD2-seed02=

| RD2-team02=Washington

| RD2-score02=9

| RD2-seed03=

| RD2-team03=Oklahoma State

| RD2-score03=3

| RD2-seed04=

| RD2-team04=Indiana

| RD2-score04=0

| RD3-seed01=

| RD3-team01=Washington

| RD3-score01-1=9⁵

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=

| RD3-team02=Oklahoma State

| RD3-score02-1=1

| RD3-score02-2=—

}}

Washington qualifies for WCWS.

Women's College World Series

=Participants=

Washington
Arizona
{{csb link|year=1996|team=UCLA Bruins|title=UCLA}}
{{csb link|year=1996|team=Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns|title=Southwestern Louisiana}}
{{csb link|year=1996|team=California Golden Bears|title=California}}
{{csb link|year=1996|team=Michigan Wolverines|title=Michigan}}
{{csb link|year=1996|team=Iowa Hawkeyes|title=Iowa}}
{{csb link|year=1996|team=Princeton Tigers|title=Princeton}}

=Bracket=

{{8TeamBracket-2Elim-D

| sets=1/1/2/1

| RD1=

| RD2=

| RD3=

| RD4=

| RD1-seed01=1

| RD1-team01=Washington

| RD1-score01=7

| RD1-seed02=8

| RD1-team02={{csb link|year=1996|team=Princeton Tigers|title=Princeton}}

| RD1-score02=1

| RD1-seed03=4

| RD1-team03={{csb link|year=1996|team=Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns|title=Southwestern Louisiana}}

| RD1-score03=0

| RD1-seed04=5

| RD1-team04={{csb link|year=1996|team=California Golden Bears|title=California}}

| RD1-score04=2

| RD1-seed05=8

| RD1-team05=Princeton

| RD1-score05=0

| RD1-seed06=4

| RD1-team06={{nowrap|Southwestern Louisiana}}

| RD1-score06=7

| RD1-seed07=3

| RD1-team07={{csb link|year=1996|team=UCLA Bruins|title=UCLA}}

| RD1-score07=2

| RD1-seed08=6

| RD1-team08={{csb link|year=1996|team=Michigan Wolverines|title=Michigan}}

| RD1-score08=0

| RD1-seed09=2

| RD1-team09=Arizona

| RD1-score09=5

| RD1-seed10=7

| RD1-team10={{csb link|year=1996|team=Iowa Hawkeyes|title=Iowa}}

| RD1-score10=2

| RD1-seed11=6

| RD1-team11=Michigan

| RD1-score11=2

| RD1-seed12=7

| RD1-team12=Iowa

| RD1-score12=3

| RD2-seed01=1

| RD2-team01=Washington

| RD2-score01=9

| RD2-seed02=5

| RD2-team02=California

| RD2-score02=7

| RD2-seed03=3

| RD2-team03=UCLA

| RD2-score03=3

| RD2-seed04=4

| RD2-team04={{nowrap|Southwestern Louisiana}}

| RD2-score04=2

| RD2-seed05=3

| RD2-team05=UCLA

| RD2-score05=0

| RD2-seed06=2

| RD2-team06=Arizona

| RD2-score06=4

| RD2-seed07=5

| RD2-team07=California

| RD2-score07=0

| RD2-seed08=7

| RD2-team08=Iowa

| RD2-score08=1

| RD3-seed01=1

| RD3-team01=Washington

| RD3-score01-1=8

| RD3-score01-2=—

| RD3-seed02=3

| RD3-team02=UCLA

| RD3-score02-1=2

| RD3-score02-2=—

| RD3-seed03=2

| RD3-team03=Arizona

| RD3-score03-1=10⁶

| RD3-score03-2=—

| RD3-seed04=7

| RD3-team04=Iowa

| RD3-score04-1=2

| RD3-score04-2=—

| RD4-seed01=1

| RD4-team01=Washington

| RD4-score01=4

| RD4-seed02=2

| RD4-team02=Arizona

| RD4-score02=6

}}

=Championship Game=

{{cite web |url=http://web1.ncaa.org/ncaa/event.do?championship=400021&division=400021400012&event=400690 |title=1996 Women's Division I Softball College World Series Game 13 |location=Ncaa.org |access-date=2018-06-08}}

class="wikitable"

! School

! Top Batter

! Stats.

Arizona Wildcats

| Jenny Dalton (2B)

| 1-2 3RBIs HR 2BBs

Washington Huskies

| Leah Francis (PH)

| 1-1 RBI

class="wikitable" ! 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{{cite book|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_wcws_rb/2015/02-Tourn.pdf|publisher=NCAA|title=2015 WCWS Records: All-Time Tournament Records and Results|page=3|access-date=July 19, 2017}}

class=wikitable ! Pos !! Name !! School
rowspan=2\| P	Carrie Dolan	Arizona
Cheryl Longeway	Southwestern Louisiana
C	Jennifer Cline	Washington
1B	Traci Conrad	Michigan
rowspan=2\| 2B	Jenny Dalton	Arizona
Sara Pickering	Washington
3B	Lynn Britton	Southwestern Louisiana
SS	Tami Storseth	Washington
rowspan=3\| OF	Mindy Williams	Washington
Lea Twigg	Iowa
Alison Johnsen	Arizona
rowspan=3\| AL	Krista Gomez	Arizona
Michelle Churnock	Arizona
Lyn Nance	Iowa

References

Category:1996 NCAA Division I softball season

NCAA Division I softball tournament

Category:NCAA Division I softball tournament

Category:Women's sports in Georgia (U.S. state)

1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament

Qualifying

Regionals

=Regional No. 1=

=Regional No. 2=

=Regional No. 3=

=Regional No. 4=

=Regional No. 5=

=Regional No. 6=

=Regional No. 7=

=Regional No. 8=

Women's College World Series

=Participants=

=Bracket=

=Championship Game=

=All-Tournament Team=

See also

References