Most Successful NCAA Division I Softball Teams

Trivia Question

As measured by all-time wins, losses and ties through the end of the 2006 season, what are the 3 most successful NCAA Division I school softball teams?

Trivia Question Answer

Through the end of the 2006 season, the 3 most successful softball teams were:

1. UCLA - 25 years: 1,177 wins, 237 losses 4 ties
2. Florida State - 23 years: 1,136 wins, 371 losses, 6 ties
3. Cal St. Fullerton - 25 years: 1,104 wins, 471 losses, 4 ties

First NPF Defensive Player of the Year

Trivia Question

Who was the first defensive player of the year for National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)?

Trivia Question Answer

Lindsay Gardner of the Texas Thunder won the NPF's first Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004.

Single Season NCAA Softball ERA Record

Trivia Question

What is the NCAA single season softball ERA record?

Trivia Question Answer

In 1983, UCLA Sophomore Tracy Compton had an ERA of 0.04 setting the current NCAA record. In 169 innings pitched, Compton gave up 5 runs, only 1 of which was earned.

Source: OFFICIAL 2008 NCAA SOFTBALL RECORDS BOOK (PDF format)

Winningest NCAA Softball Coach by Victories

Trivia Question

What NCAA Softball coach has the most career victories?

Trivia Question Answer

The NCAA's winningest softball coaches are:

1. Margie Wright (Illinois St. 1980-1985; Fresno St. 1986-2007): 1,253 wins 446 losses 3 ties
2. JoAnne Graf (Florida St. 1984-07): 1,180 wins 397 losses 6 ties
3. Gayle Blevins (Indiana 1980-87; Iowa 88-07): 1,136 wins 529 losses ties

All 3 coaches are still active.

Source: OFFICIAL 2008 NCAA SOFTBALL RECORDS BOOK (PDF format)

Most NCAA Softball Championships

Trivia Question

What schools have the most NCAA championships (for all three NCAA divisions)?

Trivia Question Answer

The schools with the most NCAA softball championships are:

1. UCLA (Division I) - 11
2. Arizona (Division I) - 9
3. Cal St. Bakersfield (Division II) - 7
4. TCNJ (Division III) - 6
5. Central (Iowa) (Division III) & Eastern Conn. St. (Division III) - 4

1st with More Than 15 Wins in NPF Season

Trivia Question

Who was the first National Pro Fastpitch softball pitcher to have more than 15 wins in a season?

Trivia Question Answer

In 2005, Christa Williams of the Texas Thunder (a team that no longer exists), won 15 games to become the first NPF pitcher to win more than 15 games in a season. That same year, she was also 1st in strikeouts with 172, and 1st in ERA with an era of 0.76.

1st with 15 or More Home Runs in NPF Season

Trivia Question

Who was the first National Pro Fastpitch softball player to have 15 or more home runs in a season?

Trivia Question Answer

For the 2005 NPF season, Crystl Bustos of the Akron Racers finished the season with 19 home runs. Only one other player has finished a season with 15 or more home runs - Amber Jackson of the Washington Glory who finished the 2007 National Pro Fastpitch season with 15 home runs.

1st NCAA Division II & III Back-to-Back Softball Champ's

Trivia Question

Who were the first Back-to-Back NCAA softball champions for NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III?

Trivia Question Answer

NCAA Divisions II and III first started crowning softball champions in 1982 (as did Division I). The first back-to-back champions were:

• Division II: Cal St. Northridge who won 3 in a row in 1983, 1984, and 1985
• Division III: Eastern Conn. St. in 1985 and 1986

1st NPF Player of the Year

Trivia Question

Who was the first National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Player of the Year?

Trivia Question Answer

The NPF Player of the Year award was first given in 2004. The first winner of the award was Iyhia McMichael of the Akron Racers. Iyhia McMichael was also the NPF batting champion for 2004.

1st Back-to-Back NCAA Division I Softball Championships

Trivia Question

What school was the first to win back-to-back NCAA softball championships?

Trivia Question Answer

The first school to win back-to-back NCAA Division I softball championships was UCLA. They won back-to-back championships in 1984 and 1985. They were also the first to win three in a row in 1988, 1989, and 1990. They went back-to-back again in 2003 and 2004. The only other team to win back-to-back NCAA Division I softball championships is Arizona who has done it twice in 1993/1994, and 2006/2007.

See: NCAA Softball Champions (Division I, Division II, Division III)

Stealing in Slow Pitch Softball

Trivia Question

Can a runner steal a base in slow pitch softball?

Trivia Question Answer

This is another one of those questions where the answer depends on whose rules you are playing by. Generally, stealing is not allowed in slow pitch softball. In some leagues, it is allowed (called slow pitch with stealing) usually after the ball crosses home plate.

Distance to the Fence in Fastpitch Softball

Trivia Question

In fastpitch softball, what is the distance to the home run fence?

Trivia Question Answer

The answer is that it depends on what level and whose rules you are playing by.

For women:

• The International Softball Federation (ISF) places the fence distance at 220 feet for left, right, and center.
• The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) uses the same distance as the ISF - 220 feet.
• NCAA set the distances in a range. 190 to 225 feet for the left and right field fences, and 200 to 225 for center field.
• National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) plays with a constant 250 foot fence in all three fields.

For men:

• The ISF sets the fence distance at 275 feet all around.
• The ASA also set the distance at 275 feet.

First NCAA Softball Champions

Trivia Question

What schools won the first NCAA Softball championships?

Trivia Question Answer

• NCAA Division I - UCLA in 1982
• NCAA Division II - Sam Houston St. in 1982
• NCAA Division III - Eastern Conn. St. in 1982

Names for Softball

Trivia Question

Since its invention, what names has the sport of softball been known as and when did it become known as "softball"?

Trivia Question Answer

The sport of softball was invented in 1887 as "indoor baseball". Other names for softball over the years include: kitten ball, diamond ball, mush ball, and pumpkin ball. The name softball dates from 1926. In 1934, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball standardized the rules and naming throughout the U.S.

Pitching Distance for Fastpitch Softball

Trivia Question

What is the pitching distance for fastpitch softball?

Trivia Question Answer

For women at the collegiate, international, and professional (NPF) levels, the pitching distance is 43 feet (13 m). For men, the distance is 46 feed (14 m). There is no mound, but there is an 8 foot circle around the pitching rubber.

For more on softball see: Softball

Pitching Distance for Fastpitch Softball

Trivia Question

What is the pitching distance for fastpitch softball?

Trivia Question Answer

For women at the collegiate, international, and professional (NPF) levels, the pitching distance is 43 feet (13 m). For men, the distance is 46 feed (14 m). There is no mound, but there is an 8 foot circle around the pitching rubber.

For more on softball see: Softball

First Year for Softball in the Olympics

Trivia Question

What was the first year that saw fastpitch softball as an Olympic sport?

Trivia Question Answer

Fastpitch softball was first played in the Olympics at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. In that year, the gold medal went to the United States, the Silver to China, and the bronze to Australia. A softball pitch at the 1996 Olympics was clocked at 73.3 MPH.

Softball has been played in every summer Olympics since 1996 and will be played in the 2008 Olympics in China. Sadly, baseball and softball were voted out of the 2012 summer games in London.

For more on softball see: Softball

Taking a Lead

Trivia Question

In softball, when can a base runner take a lead off of a base?

Longest Softball Game

Trivia Question

What was the longest softball game?

NPF Cowles Cup Champions

Trivia Question

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is a women's professional fastpitch softball league. Their 2007 playoffs will get under way on August 24-26 in Kimberly, WI. Who was the NPF Cowles Cup champion for 2005 and 2006?

Most NCAA Division I Softball Home Runs

Trivia Question

In NCAA Division I, what players hold the records for the most home runs in a game, in a season, and in a career?

Most NCAA Division I Women's College World Series (WCWS) Softball Championships

Trivia Question

What school has won the most NCAA Division I Women's College World Series (WCWS) softball championships?

NCAA Women's Softball Record for Most Strikeouts

Trivia Question

Who holds the NCAA Women's Softball record for the most strikeouts in their NCAA career?

First Game of Softball

Trivia Question

When was the first game of softball played?

Fastest Softball Pitch

Trivia Question

What is the fastest fast pitch softball pitch ever recorded?

Professional Softball Championships Trivia Question

Trivia Question

Name the three National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) teams that have won the NPF championship since their inaugural season in 2004.