Breaking News: Softball Officials and Women’s College World Series Reschedule Opening Game Days, Release New Tournament Schedule….

 

 

Breaking News: Softball Officials and Women’s College World Series Reschedule Opening Game Days, Release New Tournament Schedule…

 

By Lauren Adams | College Softball Insider | May 28, 2025

 

In a development that has brought both relief and a whirlwind of fresh anticipation to the college softball world, officials from the National Collegiate Softball Authority (NCSA) and the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) organizing committee have officially rescheduled the opening game days of the 2025 tournament—a decision that comes on the heels of a controversial and disruptive postponement announcement earlier this week.

 

The high-profile tournament, originally set to begin on May 29, was suddenly thrown into disarray when a series of procedural, eligibility, and logistical issues forced the suspension and postponement of the long-awaited showdown between No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners and No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers. As confusion and speculation swirled, fans and athletes were left with one resounding question: What happens next?

 

Now, that question has been answered. In a press conference held earlier today at WCWS headquarters in Oklahoma City, tournament officials laid out a revised schedule designed to preserve the integrity of the event, ensure fairness to all participating teams, and restore momentum to what is expected to be one of the most competitive Women’s College World Series in recent memory.

 

 

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Official Announcement from the WCWS Committee

 

At precisely 10:00 a.m. CST on May 28, 2025, the WCWS Director of Operations, Madison Ellison, stood before a packed media room and made the long-awaited announcement:

 

> “After extensive consultation with participating programs, facility partners, NCAA compliance units, and broadcast networks, the WCWS committee has decided to reschedule the tournament’s opening round of games. The new schedule has been strategically arranged to accommodate all affected teams, address recent concerns, and allow for a clean and fair start to the tournament.”

 

 

 

> “We understand the disruption caused by the initial postponement, and we are deeply committed to upholding the standards of this tournament for student-athletes, coaches, and fans around the world.”

 

 

 

The new schedule, now set to begin on Saturday, May 31, will shift all opening round games back by 48 hours, with a few strategic adjustments to prevent backlogs and provide adequate rest days for teams advancing through the bracket.

 

 

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Revised Opening Game Schedule (First Round)

 

Here’s a breakdown of the newly updated first-round WCWS matchups and start times:

 

Saturday, May 31, 2025

 

Game 1: No. 1 Texas vs No. 8 Oregon – 12:00 PM CST

 

Game 2: No. 4 Florida State vs No. 5 Alabama – 3:30 PM CST

 

Game 3: No. 2 Oklahoma vs No. 7 Tennessee – 7:00 PM CST

 

Game 4: No. 3 UCLA vs No. 6 LSU – 9:30 PM CST

 

 

Sunday, June 1, 2025

 

Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2 – 2:00 PM CST

 

Winner of Game 3 vs Winner of Game 4 – 5:30 PM CST

 

 

Losers’ bracket games and semifinals have also been reshuffled accordingly. The WCWS Final Championship Series will still be held as originally planned on June 7–9, with room for flexibility if inclement weather or extra innings require adjustments.

 

 

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Behind the Delay: What Really Happened?

 

The committee has now confirmed a string of administrative failures and technical challenges that led to the initial postponement—especially regarding the Oklahoma vs. Tennessee matchup.

 

❗ Eligibility Document Delays

 

According to insiders, discrepancies in the submission of eligibility certifications and compliance paperwork, particularly affecting players from Tennessee, caused a review delay that made it impossible to clear rosters before the original start date.

 

> “We take eligibility very seriously during postseason play,” said NCSA compliance officer Darnell Hughes. “A single unchecked document can create a domino effect, especially when multiple teams are affected.”

 

 

 

❗ Broadcast & Facility Conflicts

 

Sources also revealed that unexpected scheduling issues with broadcast partners ESPN and field facility staff led to conflicts in availability that were further complicated by delayed team arrivals due to travel disruptions.

 

> “This isn’t just about two teams showing up to play,” explained WCWS media liaison Rebecca Marsh. “It’s about broadcasting rights, hotel logistics, team security, meals, fan entry, and stadium staff timing. Everything has to align.”

 

 

 

 

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️ Coaches and Players React to the New Schedule

 

Patty Gasso – Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners

 

Coach Gasso welcomed the revised timeline with cautious optimism:

 

> “Our girls are ready to play. I trust the process. This delay gave us an extra day to focus, and we’re looking at this as just another opportunity to sharpen our edge.”

 

 

 

> “This team has been through adversity before. A schedule change doesn’t change our mission.”

 

 

 

Karen Weekly – Head Coach, Tennessee Volunteers

 

Coach Weekly echoed Gasso’s sentiment and praised the committee for responding quickly:

 

> “It’s never easy when plans are thrown off course, especially at this level of competition. But I appreciate the transparency, and I know my players are focused on the task ahead.”

 

 

 

> “We’ve been waiting all season for a chance like this. We’ll be ready Saturday night.”

 

 

 

Player Voices

 

Madison Ross, a senior outfielder for UCLA, called the decision “wise and necessary,” adding:

“We’re here to play our best softball. If that means waiting a couple days to do it fairly, we support it.”

 

Kyla James, a sophomore pitcher for Oregon, said:

“It’s wild that this kind of thing happened, but I guess it shows how much goes into the games beyond what fans see.”

 

 

 

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Analysts Weigh In: “The Right Call—But It’s a Warning Sign”

 

Longtime college softball analyst Andrea Fowler told ESPN:

 

> “This was the right move. It’s not ideal, but it preserves the fairness of the competition. Still, this should be a wake-up call for the NCAA and event organizers. You can’t let paperwork and red tape derail the biggest stage in women’s college softball.”

 

 

 

Fowler also pointed out that the tournament’s momentum and visibility are at an all-time high, thanks to record-breaking viewership numbers and the increasing number of high-school recruits paying attention to the WCWS.

 

> “These girls are building something special. The world’s watching now—so let’s get it right moving forward.”

 

 

 

 

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Broadcast Updates and Ticket Info

 

All game times will remain in Central Standard Time (CST).

The WCWS committee has confirmed that ESPN and ABC will carry live coverage of all matches, with replay access available through the ESPN+ app and NCAA.com.

 

Fans who purchased tickets for postponed games will be given automatic revalidation for the new dates. A special support desk has been established to handle travel or refund inquiries through the WCWS ticketing portal.

 

 

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What’s Next?

 

With the revised schedule now released, teams have returned to practice, fan engagement is ramping up, and tournament excitement is back on track. While the delay was an unexpected speed bump, it may ultimately lead to an even more energized and focused competition when the players finally take the field this Saturday.

 

For softball fans, the countdown is officially back on.

 

 

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Stay with us at College Softball Insider for exclusive coverage, in-depth game breakdowns, and live reporting from Oklahoma City as the 2025 Women’s College World Series unfolds.

 

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