Earlier this month, the division one softball teams of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) began the start of their regular seasons. Over the past couple of years, Oklahoma has proven to be a powerhouse in collegiate softball. Last season, the team recorded just one loss. This year, the team, coached by Patty Gasso, is looking to win their fourth-straight national championship. This would be a first in college softball history. Jordy Bahl was one of Oklahoma’s top pitchers last season. This year, however, Bahl transferred to Nebraska to be closer to family. Many wonder how this change will affect both Oklahoma and Nebraska’s softball teams, or even other potential opponents. However, the effects of Bahl’s transfer will not be recognized until the 2025 season, as she is out and will be redshirting this year due to injury. Each athlete is given four years of eligibility to compete within their sport; redshirting is when athletes delay participation for a year in order to preserve their eligibility. There are many reasons why athletes redshirt, but Bahl will be medically-redshirting due to her season-ending injury.
For this 2024 season, many big-name college softball schools started their seasons at the Puerto Vallarta College Softball Challenge in Mexico. This two-weekend tournament featured some of college softball’s best, including: Oklahoma, Duke, Washington, and several other top-25 teams. Another big opener was the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. For the first time ever, collegiate softball was televised on MLB Network. Three games were broadcast in hopes to spark new interests in viewership and participation among youth all over.
The expansion of softball coverage is a direct result of the tremendous growth that college softball has experienced over recent years. With increased viewership of collegiate softball during the regular season and post-season play, collegiate softball has gained extreme popularity. Not only has college softball grown, professional softball has taken off in popularity as well. Previously, collegiate softball players looking to go to professional leagues had to travel abroad to continue their careers. Though not yet as popular as some of the more conventional sports, professional softball in the United States is beginning to emerge with a few different leagues.
Softball is an extremely exciting sport to watch. Some key differences between softball and baseball have made watching college softball more favorable to viewers, as evidenced by statistics from recent years post-season play of both sports. The rivalries between teams make for exciting match-ups to follow and invest in. The emergence of streaming services such as FloSports have made accessibility to viewers easier than ever. There’s plenty of time to follow collegiate softball across all divisions with months left of the regular season, so tune in!
(The University of Oklahoma softball team after just winning their third-straight title in the 2023 Women’s College World Series)
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