2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The 2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the twentieth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 2001, forty-eight Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of six teams, each in a double elimination format. The 2001 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 24 through May 28 and marked the conclusion of the 2001 NCAA Division I softball season. Arizona won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating UCLA 1–0 in the final game. Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.^[1][2]

Opening Round

• Arizona defeated Saint Peter's, 4–2
• Cal State Fullerton defeated Texas Tech, 1–0
• Texas State defeated Hawaii, 2–1

Loser's Bracket

• Texas Tech defeated Saint Peter's, 3–2. Saint Peter's eliminated.
• Texas Tech defeated Hawaii, 4–2. Hawaii eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Cal State Fullerton defeated Texas State, 10–1 (5 innings).
• Arizona defeated Texas Tech, 8–0 (6 innings). Texas Tech eliminated
• Arizona defeated Texas State, 6–2.
• Texas State defeated Cal State Fullerton, 4–3.
• Arizona defeated Cal State Fullerton, 5–4.

Arizona advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• UCLA defeated Coastal Carolina, 8–0 (5 innings).
• Wisconsin defeated Fresno State, 3–1 (9 innings).
• San Diego State defeated Cal State Northridge, 2–0.

Loser's Bracket

• Fresno State defeated Coastal Carolina, 6–4. Coastal Carolina eliminated.
• Cal State Northridge defeated Fresno State, 3–1. Fresno State eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 1–0.
• UCLA defeated Cal State Northridge, 9–0. Cal State Northridge eliminated.
• UCLA defeated San Diego State, 3–1.
• San Diego State defeated Wisconsin, 6–1. Wisconsin eliminated.
• UCLA defeated San Diego State, 11–0 (5 innings).

UCLA advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• LSU defeated Cornell, 8–0 (6 innings).
• Arizona State defeated Penn State, 4–1.
• Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Southern Miss, 5–1.

Loser's Bracket

• Penn State defeated Cornell, 5–0. Cornell eliminated.
• Penn State defeated Southern Miss, 1–0. Southern Miss eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Arizona State defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.
• LSU defeated Penn State, 2–1. Penn State eliminated.
• LSU defeated Arizona State, 3–2.
• Louisiana–Lafayette defeated Arizona State, 5–0. Arizona State eliminated.
• LSU defeated Louisiana–Lafayette, 2–1.

LSU advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• Alabama defeated UIC, 8–2.
• Michigan defeated Chattanooga, 1–0.
• South Florida defeated Oregon State, 2–1.

Loser's Bracket

• Chattanooga defeated UIC, 5–2. UIC eliminated.
• Oregon State defeated Chattanooga, 13–0 (5 innings). Chattanooga eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Michigan defeated South Florida, 6–2 (13 innings).
• Alabama defeated Oregon State, 1–0. Oregon State eliminated.
• Michigan defeated Alabama, 3–2.
• South Florida defeated Alabama, 3–2. Alabama eliminated.
• Michigan defeated South Florida, 12–5.

Michigan advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• Oklahoma defeated Lehigh, 9–2.
• Washington defeated Seton Hall, 6–0.
• UMass defeated North Carolina, 4–2.

Loser's Bracket

• Lehigh defeated Seton Hall, 2–0. Seton Hall eliminated.
• North Carolina defeated Lehigh, 4–0. Lehigh eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Washington defeated UMass, 8–0 (5 innings).
• Oklahoma defeated North Carolina, 13–0 (5 innings). North Carolina eliminated.
• Oklahoma defeated Washington, 3–2.
• Washington defeated UMass, 7–1. UMass eliminated.
• Oklahoma defeated Washington, 10–2.

Oklahoma advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• Nebraska defeated BYU, 3–1.
• Pacific defeated Central Michigan, 8–0 (6 innings).
• Stanford defeated Hofstra, 4–0.

Loser's Bracket

• Hofstra defeated BYU, 4–2. BYU eliminated.
• Central Michigan defeated Hofstra, 10–0 (5 innings). Hofstra eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Nebraska defeated Pacific, 2–1 (8 innings).
• Stanford defeated Central Michigan, 6–0. Central Michigan eliminated.
• Stanford defeated Nebraska, 5–1.
• Pacific defeated Nebraska, 3–1. Nebraska eliminated.
• Pacific defeated Stanford, 2–0.
• Stanford defeated Pacific, 9–1 (5 innings).

Stanford advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• Notre Dame defeated Western Illinois, 8–0 (5 innings).
• Iowa defeated Illinois State, 2–1.
• DePaul defeated South Carolina, 3–2 (9 innings).

Loser's Bracket

• Illinois State defeated Western Illinois, 4–0. Western Illinois eliminated.
• Illinois State defeated South Carolina, 1–0. South Carolina eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• Iowa defeated DePaul, 7–4.
• Notre Dame defeated Illinois State, 2–1. Illinois State eliminated.
• Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–0.
• Notre Dame defeated DePaul, 8–1. DePaul eliminated.
• Iowa defeated Notre Dame, 6–2.

Iowa advances to WCWS.

Opening Round

• Florida State defeated Bethune–Cookman, 6–2.
• California defeated Connecticut, 2–0.
• Florida Atlantic defeated Florida, 3–0.

Loser's Bracket

• Connecticut defeated Bethune–Cookman, 2–1. Bethune–Cookman eliminated.
• Florida defeated Connecticut, 8–0 (5 innings). Connecticut eliminated.

Semifinals and Finals

• California defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0.
• Florida State defeated Florida, 6–2. Florida eliminated.
• California defeated Florida State, 1–0.
• Florida State defeated Florida Atlantic, 2–0. Florida Atlantic eliminated.
• Florida State defeated California, 2–1.
• California defeated Florida State, 3–2 (10 innings).

California advances to WCWS.

*: Excludes UCLA's vacated 1995 WCWS participation.
†: Excludes results of the pre-NCAA Women's College World Series of 1969 through 1981.

^[3]

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team: