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Has any team four-peated as WCWS national champions? Oklahoma softball can become first

john leuzzi, usa today network
·4 min read

Oklahoma softball is chasing history this year in the Women's College World Series.

The Sooners (49-6, 22-5 in Big 12 play) have become one of college softball's biggest powerhouses over the last decade, and now look to further cement that status by becoming the first program to win four consecutive Women's College World Series titles.

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Winners of the last three national championships — and six in the past 11 years — Oklahoma ranks third all time on the list of winningest Women's College Softball World Series champions, with seven. Oklahoma begins its chase for a four-peat on Friday as it takes on Cleveland State in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Softball Tournament.

Here's what you need to know about Oklahoma's chase for a historic fourth straight championship:

Has any team won four consecutive Women's College World Series?

No. Prior to Oklahoma's three-peat in 2021-23, UCLA has come the closest, winning three of the first four Women's College World Series titles from 1982-85 and three-peating from 1988 through 1990. The Bruins also won four in five years from 1988-92, but fell short of a four-peat in 1991, finishing as runners up to Arizona in the WCWS. Had they won that season, the Bruins would have won five straight from 1988 through 1992.

Curiously, the Bruins also kept the Wildcats from four-peating in the Women's College World Series. Arizona's first title in 1991 kept UCLA from the four-peat, though the Bruins returned the favor over the Wildcats a year later, winning the title to keep them from repeating. Arizona repeated in 1993-94 before losing to UCLA in 1995 (a title the Bruins would later vacate) before repeating again in 1996-97.

In all, UCLA and Arizona won five WCWS titles apiece from 1988 through 1997, accounting for the college softball championship for the span of an entire decade. Moreover, one of the pairing finished as champions and runners up in five of seasons. Perhaps most impressively, at least one the Bruins and Wildcats finished either as champion or runners up from the 1987 Women's College World Series through 2001.

Oklahoma (2021-23) and UCLA (1988-90) are the only two programs to have won three consecutive titles.

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Most Women's College World Series titles

UCLA holds the record for most Women's College World Series titles with 13. Arizona (eight), Oklahoma (seven), Florida (two), Arizona State (two) and Texas A&M (two) round out the top five. Here's a list of the programs with the Women's College World Series.

If Oklahoma wins its eighth WCWS title in 2024, it will move into a tie for second place with Arizona.

  • 1. UCLA: 12* (1982, 1984-85, 1988-90, 1992, 1999, 2003-04, 2010, 2019)

  • 2. Arizona: 8 (1991, 1993-94, 1996-97, 2001, 2006-07)

  • 3. Oklahoma: 7 (2000, 2013, 2016-17, 2021-23)

  • T-4. Texas A&M: 2 (1983, 1987)

  • T-4. Arizona State: 2 (2008, 2011)

  • T-4. Florida: 2 (2014-15)

  • T-7. Cal State Fullerton: 1 (1986)

  • T-7. Fresno State: 1 (1998)

  • T-7. Cal: 1 (2002)

  • T-7. Washington: 1 (2009)

  • T-7. Alabama: 1 (2012)

  • T-7. Michigan: 1 (2005)

  • T-7. Florida State: 1 (2018)

* Does not include vacated 1995 WCWS title

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Past Women's College World Series winners

Here's a full list of who has won the Women's College World Series dating back to 1982, when the sport became an NCAA-governed sport:

  • 2023: Oklahoma

  • 2022: Oklahoma

  • 2021: Oklahoma

  • 2020: Canceled due to COVID-19

  • 2019: UCLA

  • 2018: Florida State

  • 2017: Oklahoma

  • 2016: Oklahoma

  • 2015: Florida

  • 2014: Florida

  • 2013: Oklahoma

  • 2012: Alabama

  • 2011: Arizona State

  • 2010: UCLA

  • 2009: Washington

  • 2008: Arizona State

  • 2007: Arizona

  • 2006: Arizona

  • 2005: Michigan

  • 2004: UCLA

  • 2003: UCLA

  • 2002: California

  • 2001: Arizona

  • 2000: Oklahoma

  • 1999: UCLA

  • 1998: Fresno State

  • 1997: Arizona

  • 1996: Arizona

  • 1995: UCLA

  • 1994: Arizona

  • 1993: Arizona

  • 1992: UCLA

  • 1991: Arizona

  • 1990: UCLA

  • 1989: UCLA

  • 1988: UCLA

  • 1987: Texas A&M

  • 1986: Cal State Fullerton

  • 1985: UCLA

  • 1984: UCLA

  • 1983: Texas A&M

  • 1982: UCLA

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: WCWS four-peat champions: How Oklahoma softball can become first