Preparing for the 2024 Season With a Look Back at 2023 (Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Big Sky, Big South)

The start of the softball season at the Division I level is just over two months away.

Extra Inning Softball is providing a look forward to the 2024 season by first providing a final look back on the 2023 season.

This is the second of a five-part series featuring the Big Ten Conference, the Big 12 Conference, BIG EAST Conference, Big Sky Conference and the Big South Conference.

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Big Ten Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Big Ten Conference: Taryn Kern (Indiana), Taylor Minnick (Indiana), Nia Carter (Iowa), Lexie Blair (Michigan), Kayla Chavez (Minnesota), Taylor Krapf (Minnesota), Jess Oakland (Minnesota), Autumn Pease (Minnesota), Billie Andrews (Nebraska), Brooke Andrews (Nebraska), Katelyn Caneda (Nebraska), Nikki Cuchran (Northwestern), Danielle Williams (Northwestern), Kami Kortokrax (Ohio State), Melina Wilkison (Ohio State), Emily Maddock (Penn State), Katie Keller (Wisconsin), Maddie Schwartz (Wisconsin)

Big Ten Tournament:

Game 1 – No. 6 Ohio State 7, No. 11 Rutgers 4
Game 2 – No. 7 Penn State 3, No. 10 Michigan 2
Game 3 – No. 9 Iowa 7, No. 8 Maryland 1
Game 4 – No. 12 Illinois 8, No. 5 Wisconsin 4
Game 5 – No. 3 Minnesota 3, No. 6 Ohio State 2 (8)
Game 6 – No. 2 Indiana 5, No. 7 Penn State 4 (9)
Game 7 – No. 1 Northwestern 3, No. 9 Iowa 1
Game 8 – No. 4 Nebraska 1, No. 12 Illinois 0
Game 9 – No. 2 Indiana 5, No. 3 Minnesota 3
Game 10 – No. 1 Northwestern 8, No. 4 Nebraska 0
Game 11 – No. 1 Northwestern 2, No. 2 Indiana 1

URBANA, Ill. – Maeve Nelson roped a game-winning single to right-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning, capping a two-run rally that lifted top-seeded Northwestern University to a 2-1 victory over No. 2 seed Indiana University in the championship game of the 2023 Big Ten Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon at the University of Illinois’ Eichelberger Field in Urbana, Illinois.

The Wildcats (38-11) earned their 28th win in their last 31 outings and their third Big Ten Tournament title (first since 2008). Northwestern, which also captured the Big Ten championship by two games over Indiana, will receive the conference’s automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The 64-team field for that event will be revealed at 7 p.m. (ET) Sunday live on ESPN2.

Graduate student pitcher Danielle Williams was named the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player after going 2-0 with a save, a 0.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in 14.0 innings of work during the tournament. On Saturday, she tossed a complete-game four-hitter, allowing an unearned run while striking out four. Williams improved to 19-1 this season and Saturday’s victory was the 102nd of her career, moving the Pleasanton, California, native into a tie with Michigan’s Megan Betsa (2014-17) for fifth place on the Big Ten career wins list.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Northwestern, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska

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Big 12 Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Big 12 Conference: Shaylon Govan (Baylor), Jordy Bahl (Oklahoma), Jayda Coleman (Oklahoma), Kinzie Hansen (Oklahoma), Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma), Haley Lee (Oklahoma), Grace Lyons (Oklahoma), Nicole May (Oklahoma), Rachel Becker (Oklahoma State), Kelly Maxwell (Oklahoma State), Mia Scott (Texas), Ellie Bailey (Texas Tech)

Big 12 Tournament
Game 1 – No. 5 Iowa State 8, No. 4 Baylor 1
Game 2 – No. 2 Texas 7, No. 7 Texas Tech 6 (8)
Game 3 – No. 6 Kansas 8, No. 3 Oklahoma State 7
Game 4 – No. 1 Oklahoma 9, No. 5 Iowa State 0
Game 5 – No. 2 Texas 9, No. 6 Kansas 1
Game 6 – No. 1 Oklahoma 6, No. 2 Texas 1

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Top-seeded Oklahoma defeated No. 2-seeded Texas to win its eighth overall Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship with a 6-1 victory at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Sooners have won five of the last six postseason Big 12 titles and have played in the final in nine of the last 10 completed Championships. OU earned the Big 12’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Softball Championship. The selection show is Sunday, May 14 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

OU struck first with its first hit of the game in the bottom of the second as Haley Lee registered a leadoff solo blast to center field.

The Longhorns answered with a solo blast of their own by Viviana Martinez to even it up in the top of the fourth.

Oklahoma responded with a three-hit, three-run inning. Alyssa Brito doubled to right center before advancing to third on the throw, to plate a run and regain the lead for the Sooners. Brito followed by scoring on a wild pitch to make it 3-1 before Rylie Boone scored the last run of the inning with a single up the middle.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, Baylor

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BIG EAST Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-BIG EAST: Kelsey Carr (Seton Hall), Sydney Carter (Butler), Tess Cites (Villanova), Ava Franz (Villanova), Lexi Hastings (UConn), Brooke Johnson (DePaul), Payton Kinney (UConn), Cameron Kondo (Georgetown), Cayla Nielsen (Creighton), Shelby Smith (Seton Hall), Abby Wingo (Seton Hall), Anna Wohlers (DePaul)

BIG EAST Tournament
Game 1 – No. 5 St. John’s 9, No. 4 Butler 6
Game 2 – No. 3 Seton Hall 5, No. 6 DePaul 4
Game 3 – No. 6 DePaul 4, No. 4 Butler 2
Game 4 – No. 1 UConn 3, No. 5 St. John’s  2
Game 5 – No. 3 Seton Hall 9, No. 2 Villanova 6 (9)
Game 6 – No. 6 DePaul 8, No. 5 St. John’s 4
Game 7 – No. 3 Seton Hall 6, No. 1 UConn 2
Game 8 – No. 2 Villanova 4, No. 6 DePaul 1
Game 9 – No. 2 Villanova 4, No. 1 UConn 3
Game 10 – No. 3 Seton Hall  6, No. 2 Villanova 1

STORRS, Conn. – The Seton Hall softball team all season long has been winning games but looking to accomplish more. At the end of their to-accomplish list was winning the BIG EAST Championship, and the Pirates can declare Mission Accomplished.

BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Kelsey Carr (Ridgewood, N.Y.) threw a complete game gem, and sophomore Olivia Gilbert (Johnston, R.I.) homered and drove in two as the Pirates topped Villanova, 6-1, to claim the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament championship, the program’s first conference title since 2005. The Pirates have earned an automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Tournament and will learn where they are headed Sunday night during the NCAA Div. I Softball Selection Show at 7 p.m., on ESPN2.

Led by tournament most outstanding player Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas), the Pirates ran roughshod over the tournament field, going 4-0 and smashing 13 extra-base hits. Smith alone hit 8-for-13 with two home runs, three doubles and 11 RBI.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Seton Hall

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Big Sky Conference

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