With the Nebraska softball team looking more and more like a team of destiny and one that is going to be headed to the women’s College World Series if everything goes right, it’s time to start really talking about where they’ll be going once the get there. There’s also the rather obvious question, why is the WCWS in Oklahoma City?
The long and the short of it is that the WCWS is very similar to the CWS in that it has found a home and there’s just no reason to leave. It’s become a tradition to have this part of the NCAA softball tournament to take place in the same place every year, though it doesn’t go as far back as the men’s version of the tournament.
Why is the WCWS in Oklahoma City?
The WCWS has been held annually in Oklahoma City since 1990, except in 1996, when the event was held in Columbus, Georgia, at the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Interestingly enough, there was also a time when both College World Series took place in Omaha.
However, eventually the NCAA realized that this event needed it’s own home.
The Women's College World Series is held annually at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
The venue was formally known as USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, however, was changed to Devon Park just weeks before the 2024 WCWS and before the Big 12 softball tournament, which is also held in Oklahoma City.
As part of the being the established home of the WCWS, the park recently expanded by 4,000 seats and now has a capacity of 13,000 fans.