2023 Women’s College World Series Prediction 1.0
The postseason is growing ever nearer, so it’s time to start presenting our Women’s College World Series predictions. This will come every week on the tail of our latest HCS Bracketology of the 2023 College Softball season, and you can discuss it all in our forum as well.
Bryan Clinton
1. Oklahoma (40-1) – This one is pretty easy. The Sooners are the favorite to raise the National Championship Trophy for a third consecutive season.
2. UCLA (41-4) – The Bruins have made seven consecutive WCWS appearances, one year longer than even the mighty Sooners. I see them making it eight.
3. Oklahoma State (39-6) – I know OSU is in a slump right now, but they’ll break out of it in a hurry. This team is just too good to stay down long.
4. Georgia (35-10) – The Bulldogs would need to get through Stanford in our latest projections, but I think they’re more than capable of that.
5. Florida State (38-8) – There are time when I think the Noles are the second-best team in the country, especially lately. They’ll make a run to OKC.
6. Central Arkansas (31-8) – Let’s get crazy. I like UCA out of the Tuscaloosa bracket, plus I think they get past Duke in Durham.
7. Tennessee (35-5) – Tennessee is the best team in the SEC, and that alone makes them good enough to count on for a trip to OKC.
8. UL Lafayette (34-13) – Don’t call them an underdog. The Ragin’ Cajuns are ranked ninth per RPI and could be a dangerous out for LSU and Northwestern.
Joey Helmer
1. Oklahoma (40-1) – This is by far the best team in the country and the heavy favorite to win the national championship once again. Until I see something that convinces me otherwise, I’m picking the Sooners to join UCLA as the only programs to three-peat.
2. UCLA (41-4) – Let me make it clear once again: The gap is quite substantial between 1 and 2. But UCLA is on a roll right now, and it’ll be there.
3. Oklahoma State (39-6) – For quite some time, it’s seemed like not just a possibility but an inevitability that Bedlam is on tap for the championship. That’s not the case in recent days, as the Cowgirls have hit a slump, but my money’s on them figuring that out and returning to OKC.
4. Florida State (38-8) – I actually think this might be the second-best team in the country. Look out for the Seminoles to make a serious run and potentially meet up with Oklahoma in the title, like two years ago. FSU and Washington might be the best Super Regional matchup, per our projection, by the way.
5. Tennessee (35-5) – I love the Volunteers. They’re the best team in the SEC and one I really buy to also make a deep run.
6. Georgia (35-10) – Keep in mind we’re projecting in our Bracketology, not ranking the teams where we think they ought to be. I currently have Georgia on my mind No. 7 and they’re in my field of eight.
7. Kentucky (26-13-1) – There’s always a bit of an outlier team, and perhaps to some it’s surprising you could put Kentucky in that classification. But they’re in a rough stretch right now and have nearly fallen out of the Top 25. They’re good enough to get right and knock off both Northwestern and LSU or Louisiana-Lafayette, whoever wins in Baton Rouge.
8. Duke (39-8) – I don’t trust Alabama enough to win solely on the arm of Montana Fouts, and I don’t trust Central Arkansas quite enough to make it all the way through. I trust Duke to win its regional and knock out one of those two.
