HCS Softball Bracketology: Field of 64 Projections for Selection Show
We’ve reached the Sunday after conference championship weekend, which means it’s time for the Selection Show. Tonight, the softball world will watch as the NCAA Tournament Field is set ahead of the 2023 edition of the sport’s biggest event.
We have taken the liberty of compiling the data and coming up with projections for the entire Field of 64, as of Sunday, May 14.
The field consists of 32 automatic qualifiers and 32 at-large bids. Of the 32 automatic qualifiers, 30 of them will earn bids by winning their conference tournament (the Big West and WCC regular season champions will earn the other two bids).
The Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) is used heavily in these projections, as it is when the selection committee creates the field during the Selection Show.
16 national seeds will be selected, with each team hosting a regional site for the first round of the tournament. At each campus site, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be held, and the 16 winning teams advanced to the Super Regionals.
Super Regionals are hosted on eight campus sites, determined by Regionals winner’s seeding. At each site, two teams will play in a best-of-three tournament, with the winners going to Oklahoma City.
Field of 64 Projection: Sunday, May 14
NORMAN REGIONAL
1. Oklahoma (1)*
4. Northern Colorado*
2. California
3. Missouri
LOS ANGELES REGIONAL
1. UCLA (2)
4. Long Beach State*
2. San Diego State*
3. LMU*
TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL
1. Florida State (3)*
4. LIU*
2. Florida
3. UCF*
KNOXVILLE REGIONAL
1. Tennessee (4)*
4. Miami (OH)*
2. Indiana
3. Middle Tennessee*
DURHAM REGIONAL
1. Duke (5)
4. North Carolina Central*
2. Georgia
3. Campbell*
PALO ALTO REGIONAL
1. Stanford (6)
4. UMBC*
2. Minnesota
3. Grand Canyon*
BATON ROUGE REGIONAL
1. LSU (7)
4. George Mason*
2. Oregon
3. McNeese*
EVANSTON REGIONAL
1. Northwestern (8)*
4. Eastern Illinois*
2. Kentucky
3. Louisville
SALT LAKE CITY REGIONAL
1. Utah (16)*
4. Harvard*
2. Auburn
3. Ohio State
CLEMSON REGIONAL
1. Clemson (15)
4. UNC Greensboro*
2. South Carolina
3. Charlotte
FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL
1. Arkansas (14)
4. Northern Kentucky*
2. Central Arkansas*
3. Southern Illinois*
LAFAYETTE REGIONAL
1. UL Lafayette (13)*
4. Hofstra*
2. Baylor
3. Arizona
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL
1. Alabama (12)
4. Marist*
2. Virginia Tech
3. Boston*
STILLWATER REGIONAL
1. Oklahoma State (11)
4. Omaha*
2. Wichita State
3. Nebraska
SEATTLE REGIONAL
1. Washington (10)
4. Seton Hall*
2. Ole Miss
3. Liberty
AUSTIN REGIONAL
1. Texas (9)
4. Prairie View A&M*
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas State
Other Potential Hosts: Central Arkansas, Georgia, Baylor, Oregon
Last Four In: Arizona, Ohio State, Nebraska, Texas State
First Four Out: Cal State Fullerton, Penn State, South Alabama, Notre Dame
Next Four Out: Mississippi State, Michigan, Maryland, Marshall
Make sure to tune in for the Sunday Selection Show on ESPN2 at 6:00 p.m. CT.
