Does the Women’s College World Series location in Oklahoma City give Oklahoma’s powerhouse program an advantage seemingly every season? Absolutely, Texas coach Mike White said.
But will that ever change, at least while White is still coaching college softball? Absolutely not, he added with a smile before his No. 1 Longhorns boarded a charter flight to Oklahoma City Tuesday morning to prepare for Thursday’s WCWS opener against Stanford.
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“I would love to see him develop one day, but probably not during my tenure as coach,” he said. “We understand, but it’s obviously a huge advantage for Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma’s campus in Norman is about 20 miles south of the recently renamed Devon Park, the host venue of the WCWS, formerly known as the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. Oklahoma City has had a relationship with the NCAA as well as USA Softball for several decades, and the recently renewed contract between the NCAA, USA Softball and Oklahoma City will keep the WCWS in its current home until at least 2035.
White will make his seventh trip to the WCWS this week after leading Oregon to Oklahoma City five times and to Texas once before, in 2022.
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Why is the NCAA hosting the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma City has long been the epicenter of softball in the United States. Originally known as the Amateur Softball Association, USA Softball moved from New Jersey to Oklahoma City in 1966 and hosts international games and Olympic trials as well as the Big 12 tournament, the WCWS and others. local events.
The top-notch facilities first attracted the NCAA in 1990, and the WCWS has only been played outside of Oklahoma City once since then, when Columbus, Ga., hosted the event in 1996 as a tryout for the Atlanta Olympics later that summer.
WCWS spent its first six years in Omaha and two years in Sunnyvale, California, before moving to Oklahoma City.
The NCAA also likes the idea of having a permanent home for its sports that doesn’t generate the huge financial windfall from football and the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Omaha, Neb., has been the home of baseball’s College World Series for generations, and the NCAA Track and Field Championships will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., for the next four years.
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Are the facilities at Devon Park better than other establishments in the country?
In a word, yes. The complex, which includes four fields, opened in 1987 but has undergone significant improvements over the years thanks to a significant investment from USA Softball. The NCAA signed a contract with USA Softball and Oklahoma City in 2014 that guaranteed the WCWS would remain at the facility now known as Devon Park until 2035 if facility improvements met a certain standard.
These standards have certainly been met. In addition to the press box and on-field improvements, the upper level seating has been expanded and the stadium can now accommodate 13,000 spectators, making it the largest dedicated softball stadium in the United States.
How much does having the WCWS in Oklahoma help the Sooners?
It certainly can’t hurt the Sooners when at least 10,000 fans at Devon Park are wearing crimson and cream. But Oklahoma’s rise only began this century, and six of its seven titles have come in the last 12 years. From 2001 to 2011, the Sooners made five appearances in the WCWS and went just 3–10, suggesting that home runs and other big plays matter more than home cooking.
This season, Oklahoma is seeded second in the WCWS behind Texas.
Yet should Oklahoma essentially serve as host, regardless of the myriad reasons?
“Honestly, what if you asked me? No,” said Texas freshman Kayden Henry. “But at the same time, I think with the team we have, it’s going to be fun either way.” I was told it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Women’s College World Series
Thursday, 6 p.m., Texas (51-7) against Stanford (48-15), ESPN2
