Diamond Battles: The Biggest Rivalries in College Softball
- Samantha Lewis
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
College softball, like any sport, is full of intense rivalries that bring out the best in teams and ignite passionate fan bases. There’s nothing quite like a college rivalry to get the fans excited. Rivalry games are about more than just the game — they’re about pride, history, and just straight-up bragging rights.
Whether it’s a historic conference showdown, in-state clashes, or national powerhouses battling for supremacy, these matchups define the sport. From the SEC to the Pac-12 and the Women’s College World Series, some rivalries carry decades of history.
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) vs the University of Arizona
Together, these two teams have 20 national championships. Since 1984 the Bruins are up 89-60 in the head-to-head matchups. In their final meeting in 2024, UCLA won 11-7 on their Senior Day. With UCLA joining the Big 10 and Arizona moving to the Big 12, both teams are entering a new era.
UCLA remains a title threat, with Jordan Woolery (infielder) and a great rotation with Kaitlyn Terry (pitcher/outfielder), Taylor Tinsley (pitcher), and freshman Addisen Fisher (pitcher/utility). Arizona has Dakota Kennedy (outfielder) and Miranda Stoddard (pitcher/infielder), who are leading the way as they adjust to the change. This season they will only meet one time, on a neutral field in Fullerton, California for part of the Judi Garman Classic.
University of Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State University
The Bedlam Series is the name of the OU (SEC) and OSU (Big 12) rivalry. They were both originally part of the Big Eight Conference before the Big 12 Conference became a thing and were divisional rivals. Historically, the Sooners have dominated the rivalry with a 104-74 series lead since 1975. Though even being on the losing end of the record, the Cowgirls have shown that they can hold their own; last May, they won two of three head-to-head games. The Sooners are once again national contenders, even after major roster changes from the last four years and their championship runs. OSU has been to five straight Women’s College World Series (excluding the canceled 2020 series). Though it is no longer an in-conference rivalry after OU moved to the SEC, the Sooners and Cowgirls will still meet once this season, on April 9.
University of Oklahoma vs University of Texas at Austin
The OU-Texas Rivalry is one of the biggest across all sports. Both teams are now in the SEC, and that has made the rivalry bigger than ever. The Sooners have led the series 45-13, which also includes a 23-game win streak from 2014-22. In last year’s WCWS, the Sooners swept Texas in two games and helped them secure a historic fourth-consecutive national title. At the top of this season, Texas was ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Longhorns have Teagan Kavan returning for her second season as well as Reese Atwood (catcher/DP) and Katie Stewart (infield/catcher). Oklahoma came in ranked at No. 3 after losing a lot of key players, including Jayda Coleman and Tiarre Jennings, two of the Sooners’ top scorers throughout their championship run. The teams will meet April 25-27 in Norman, Oklahoma.
Realignment shook some things up, but teams and fans alike are still keeping these rivalries strong.
Edited by Brittany Snow