{"id":1493,"date":"2026-05-29T16:05:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1493"},"modified":"2026-05-29T16:05:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:05:32","slug":"no-1-alabama-and-defending-champ-texas-lead-talented-field-at-womens-college-world-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1493","title":{"rendered":"No. 1 Alabama and defending champ Texas lead talented field at Women\u2019s College World Series"},"content":{"rendered":"
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OKLAHOMA CITY \u2014 Top overall seed Alabama, defending national champ Texas, and Big Ten Conference champion Nebraska headline a balanced field at the Women\u2019s College World Series.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Sun road trip ends the way it started: with a loss in Portland<\/a><\/p>\n

Alabama, with star pitcher Jocelyn Briski (22-3, 1.30 ERA), is capable of knocking off the second-seeded Longhorns and six others, including newcomers fifth-seeded Arkansas and unseeded Mississippi State.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Crimson Tide (54-7) will open on Thursday against No. 8 seed UCLA, which boasts NCAA single-season home run leader Megan Grant and the top scoring team in the nation.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

No. 4 seed Nebraska, which is ranked first in the latest ESPN.com\/USA Softball poll, is making its first series appearance since 2013. The Cornhuskers (51-6) have won 26 straight games and are led by USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Jordy Frahm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frahm led Oklahoma to a national title in 2023 as Jordy Bahl before transferring, then later getting married and changing her name. Her previous team \u2014eight-time national champion Oklahoma \u2014 won\u2019t be making the 26-mile drive to Oklahoma City\u2019s Devon Park for the first time since 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third-seeded Sooners, who won four of the last five national titles, were eliminated by Southeastern Conference upstart Mississippi State in three games at the Norman Super Regional. The Bulldogs (43-19) are coached by former Sooners All-American Samantha Ricketts, who played for coach Patty Gasso at Oklahoma.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis week right now has been about enjoying the moment after obviously a historic Super Regional for us and also just being where our feet are,\u201d Ricketts said. \u201cWe want our players to enjoy every step of this, being present, but then really using today to lock back in and knowing that we\u2019re not done yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mississippi State will open with 2025 runner-up Texas Tech and ace NiJaree Canady. The Red Raiders (57-7), seeded No. 11 overall, took down sixth-seeded Florida at the Gainesville Super Regional and are looking to get back to the championship series. Canady, who wore down against Texas last year, now has help from pitcher Kaitlyn Terry, a transfer from UCLA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arkansas, the team with the top regular season RPI, makes its Devon Field debut. The Razorbacks haven\u2019t reached the World Series, despite playing in super regionals in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2025. Coach Courtney Deifel\u2019s team racked up 26 run-rule victories this season. The Razorbacks went undefeated in regional and super regional competition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Hurricanes silence the Canadiens to move within a victory of the Stanley Cup Final<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas opens defense of its title Thursday against No. 7 seed Tennessee and hard-throwing Karlyn Pickens, the No. 1 overall pick in the AUSL draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Volunteers (47-10) are making their 10th appearance in Oklahoma City and Pickens (15-7, 1.53 ERA and six saves) is among the reasons why, with 180 strikeouts in 132\u2153 innings. But the Lady Vols can throw more than just Pickens at opponents. Sage Mardjetko (0.99 ERA) and Erin Nuwer (1.09 ERA) rank second and fourth, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey definitely have three pitchers that have shown they can beat anybody at any time, especially going through the SEC Tournament,\u201d Texas coach Mike White said. \u201dThey\u2019re dangerous. They\u2019re well coached.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Longhorns counter with Teagan Kavan, the Most Outstanding Player of last year\u2019s Women\u2019s College World Series. Kavan has a 25-5 record with a 2.47 ERA and beat Alabama in the SEC title game. Katie Stewart leads the team with a .436 average and 27 home runs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Briski has 198 strikeouts in 156\u2154 innings. She combined with teammate Vic Moten to limit LSU to one run and seven hits in two games at the Tuscaloosa Super Regional.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just think really the main goal here is to just go out and win one game at a time and win each game,\u201d Briski said. \u201cI\u2019m just excited to take the field. It all starts tomorrow, and we\u2019re just focusing on that game tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Crimson Tide pitching staff will be tested right away.<\/span><\/p>\n

UCLA (52-8) features Grant, a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year finalist who has 40 home runs, and Jordan Woolery, the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year who is on pace to become the first player in NCAA history to hit .500 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in the same season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of the times me and Jordan are talked about as a duo, but I\u2019m happy to say that I can finally talk about her individually because what she\u2019s done this year is simply incredible,\u201d Grant said. \u201cI mean, honestly, she\u2019s just going out there and she\u2019s being herself, and she\u2019s being everything that we always knew that she could be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Game 56: Red Sox at Guardians lineups and notes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mississippi State will be making its World Series debut after surprising Oklahoma in the super regionals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1492,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"\nNo. 1 Alabama and defending champ Texas lead talented field at Women\u2019s College World Series - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1493\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"No. 1 Alabama and defending champ Texas lead talented field at Women\u2019s College World Series - 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