College Softball
Games Available on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2; All Matchups Simulcast on ESPN+
Kimberly ElchleppMay 29, 2023
**Press Release was updated from the original posting to indicated that studio coverage has been relocated from Bristol, Conn. to Oklahoma City.
Once again, ESPN will be the home of the entire NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series (WCWS), live from USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. First pitch flies on Thursday, June 1, to start the five-day, eight team, double elimination early round, advancing two teams to the finals. The best-of-three championship series begins Wednesday, June 7. WCWS games will be available on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, with all matchups simulcast on ESPN+
This year’s field includes: Oklahoma, Florida State, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Washington, Stanford and Utah.
On the Call
The first five days of the tournament will feature two commentator teams:
The Voice of SoftballBeth Mowins, two-time Olympic medalist and four-time All-AmericanJessica Mendoza, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time All-AmericanMichele Smith, and Emmy Award winning reporterHolly Rowe will call primetime games along with the afternoon ABC windows on Saturday and Sunday. This all-star squad has worked as a team for 16 years, as Mowins calls her 29th WCWS, Smith and Rowe their 19th, and Mendoza her 16th. This team will call the action for the entire championship series.
Play-by-play voiceKevin Brown, two-time All-AmericanAmanda ScarboroughandCourtney Lyle will handle the dayside games and the late games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This will mark Scarborough’s eighth year calling the WCWS and Brown’s third, while Lyle will make her debut as WCWS reporter, having hosted studio coverage in previous years.
WCWS studio coverage will originate from USA Hall of Fame Stadium, contributing pre- and post-game commentary throughout the championship. Pam Ward will host alongside analysts Danielle Lawrie and Madison Shipman. Lawrie won Bronze with Team Canada at the Tokyo Olympics and was a national champion (2010), two-time National Player of the Year (2009, 2010) and three-time All-American at the University of Washington. Shipman was a three-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year (2014) at the University of Tennessee.
Conference Coverage
SEC Network will be live from USA Softball Hall of Fame stadium to chronicle Tennessee and Alabama’s journey to a national title with post-game shows throughout the early round. Should either team advance to the championship series, the network will provide pre- and post-game coverage throughout. Dari Nowkhah and Alyssa Lang will trade hosting duties alongside three-time All-American and Alabama national champion (2012) Kayla Braud. SEC Network will also dedicate a 30-minute show to the WCWS team press conferences on Wednesday, May 31, at 7 p.m. ET.
ACC Network will provide onsite coverage of Florida State’s WCWS run, live from Oklahoma City. Host Kelsey Riggs and analysts Brittany McKinney and Alex Powers will provide nightly recaps of the day’s action. Should the Seminoles advance to the championship series, the trio will be on hand for pre- and post-game coverage throughout the finals. McKinney was a four-year letter winner at North Carolina, while Powers was an All-American and ACC Player of the Year (2016) at Florida State.
Catch the Action from Every Angle
ESPN continues to elevate its presentation of college softball with an extensive camera complement and technological enhancements on display for every telecast:
- A drone will provide aerial coverage throughout the tournament.
- The in-stadium jib camera has been upgraded to a techno crane.
- A two-point cable camera system will fly from the top of the press box down the left-field line, offering a wide view of the field and catching runners as they round third base for home.
- A rail camera will run 80 feet along the left and centerfield wall to capture the incredible defensive plays made in the outfield.
- The home plate umpire will wear a mask camera in every game of the tournament, giving viewers a first-person look at what the umpire sees from behind the plate. All four umpires on the field will also be mic’d up for every game of the tournament.
- Telestrations will be used throughout the telecasts, both live and during replay.
2023 Women’s College World Series Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Game/Program/Commentators | ESPN Platform |
| Thu, June 1 | Noon | Alabama vs. Tennessee Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ |
| 2 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Stanford vs. Oklahoma Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| 4:30 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 7 p.m. | Oklahoma State vs. Florida State Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| 9 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| Fri, June 2 | 1 p.m. | Utah vs. Washington Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN2/ESPN+ |
| 7 p.m. | Stanford vs. Alabama Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| 9 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 9:30 p.m. | Utah vs. Oklahoma State Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| Sat, June 3 | 3 p.m. | Tennessee vs. Oklahoma Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ABC/ESPN+ |
| 7 p.m. | Washington vs. Florida State Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| Sun, June 4 | 3 p.m. | Stanford vs. Washington Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ABC/ESPN+ |
| 7 p.m. | Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN2/ESPN+ | |
| Mon, June 5 | Noon | Oklahoma vs. Stanford Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ |
| 2 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 2:30 p.m. | WCWS Game 12* Kevin Brown, Amanda Scarborough, Courtney Lyle | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| 4:30 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 7 p.m. | Tennessee vs. Florida State Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| 9 p.m. | NCAA Softball Studio Update Pam Ward, Danielle Lawrie, Madison Shipman | ESPN | |
| 9:30 p.m. | WCWS Game14* Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ | |
| Wed, June 7 | 8 p.m. | Florida State vs. Oklahoma Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ |
| Thu, June 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Oklahoma vs. Florida State Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ |
| Fri, June 9 | 8 p.m. | Florida State vs. Oklahoma* Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe | ESPN/ESPN+ |
*If Necessary
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