Big Ten softball tournament

The Big Ten softball tournament is the conference championship tournament in softball for the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. The winner of the tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I softball tournament.

Big Ten softball tournament
SportSoftball
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Number of teams12
FormatSingle elimination
Current stadiumEichelberger Field
Current locationChampaign, Illinois
Played1982, 1995–2008, 2013–present
Last contest2023
Current championNorthwestern
Most championshipsMichigan (10)
TV partner(s)BTN

History

The Big Ten softball tournament began in 1982 and then took a hiatus until the tournament was reinstated in 1995. The tournament was held from 1995–2008 until the Big Ten switched back to using the regular season champion for the automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. The Big Ten reinstated the conference tournament in 2013 and has been held at the conclusion of the regular season ever since. Tournaments held in 1982 and 1995–2003 used a double elimination format. Tournaments from 2004–2008 and 2013–present have used a single elimination format.[1][2]

The inaugural tournament in 1982 included Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Ohio State, which were the only Big Ten schools with varsity softball programs at the time.[3] Penn State started Big Ten play in 1992 after a few years of independence and playing in the Atlantic 10 Conference.[4] Purdue began their program in 1995, followed by Wisconsin in 1996 and Illinois in 2001. Nebraska left the Big 12 Conference and joined the Big Ten for the 2012 season, and then Maryland and Rutgers came on board in 2015 from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East Conference, respectively.

When USC and UCLA join the Big Ten Conference for the 2024-2025 school year, UCLA will begin league play for the 2025 season.[5][6] As of 2022, USC does not have a softball program nor any intention of starting one up after performing a study around 2002.[7]

Champions

By year
Year School Site
1982 Northwestern Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
1995 Michigan Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
1996 Michigan Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
1997 Michigan Pearl Field • Iowa City, IA
1998 Michigan Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
1999 Minnesota Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
2000 Michigan Pearl Field • Iowa City, IA
2001 Iowa Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
2002 Michigan Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
2003 Iowa Pearl Field • Iowa City, IA
2004 Michigan State Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
2005 Michigan Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, MI
2006 Michigan Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL
2007 Ohio State Buckeye Field • Columbus, OH
2008 Northwestern Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL
2013 Wisconsin Bowlin Stadium • Lincoln, NE
2014 Minnesota Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL
2015 Michigan Buckeye Field • Columbus, OH
2016 Minnesota Beard Field • State College, PA
2017 Minnesota Alumni Field • Ann Arbor, MI
2018 Minnesota Goodman Softball Complex • Madison, WI
2019 Michigan Andy Mohr Field • Bloomington, IN
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
2022 Nebraska Secchia Stadium • East Lansing, MI
2023 Northwestern Eichelberger Field • Champaign, IL

By school
School Titles Years Won First Year in Tournament Began Big Ten Play
Michigan 10 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2019 1982 1982
Minnesota 5 1999, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 1982 1982
Northwestern 3 1982, 2008, 2023 1982 1982
Iowa 2 2001, 2003 1982 1982
Michigan State 1 2004 1982 1982
Nebraska 1 2022 2013 2012
Ohio State 1 2007 1982 1982
Wisconsin 1 2013 2000 1996
Illinois 0 – 2001 2001
Indiana 0 – 1982 1982
Maryland 0 – 2015 2015
Penn State 0 – 1999 1992
Purdue 0 – 1997 1995
Rutgers 0 – 2015 2015

See also

List of Big Ten Conference softball champions

References
  1. "Softball Record Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 6, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  2. "Softball Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  3. "2021 B1G Softball Record Book, pg. 3" (PDF). Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  4. "2022 PSU Softball Media Guide". Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  5. "USC to Make Historic Move to Big Ten Conference in 2024". USC Athletics. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  6. "UCLA to Join Big Ten Conference at Start of 2024-25 Season". UCLA. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  7. Chan, Chris. "Why USC has No Softball Team". Softball Nation. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
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