2015 WCWS Uniform Recap

The latest edition of the Women’s College World Series has wrapped up, and congratulations to Florida for winning it all for the second straight year.

I was lucky enough to make the trip to Oklahoma City to follow the first ever appearance by the Auburn Tigers. After watching many games in person at the stadium, and the rest of the games at home, I got to see many different uniforms hit the field at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Here, you’ll get a look at each uniform worn by each of the eight teams. 

All photos and logos are owned by their respective parties.

When it comes to both the baseball and softball World Series tournaments hosted by the NCAA, each team selects two jerseys (a colored and a white top), and the NCAA applies the Series patch onto the shoulder that faces the camera when each player is at bat. For instance, a right-handed batter has the Series patch on the left shoulder, and vice versa.

The top seed Florida Gators traveled with enough jerseys, pants, and stirrups to wear a different combination in five of their six games in Oklahoma City. Game one against Tennessee saw an all white uniform, script Gators on the chest, and orange Northwestern stripes on blue stirrups. The second game for the Gators was against LSU and Florida showcased their “anthracite” alternates, with orange and blue Chicago Bears striped stirrups over white sanitary socks. When Florida faced Auburn in the semi-finals, the Gators trotted out in their white tops, this time paired with blue pants and orange stirrups with blue and white Northwestern stripes, reminiscent of the football team’s orange tops. The win over Auburn sent the Gators to the Finals, which will be covered later.

The number two seed Oregon Ducks only played two games, losing to UCLA on day one, and Alabama two days later. For the UCLA game, the Ducks wore white uniforms with candy apple green sleeves and collar inserts on the tops, white pants with green stripes, and green socks with yellow accents. The sleeves also feature Puddles, one of the best logos ever. The second game against Alabama, Oregon wore black tops with green accents and a large yellow O logo on the chest, black pants with green stripes, and yellow socks. Oregon received these black uniforms back around senior day. The patch on the left sleeve is to commemorate the final game at Howe Field. 
 

Photo By Andrew Bruckse/Tennessee Athletics

Third seeded Michigan started their tournament run by facing off against Alabama, a game in which they wore white jerseys with blue and yellow shoulder yokes, blue pants with white and yellow stripes, and sansabelt stripes. One of my favorite uniform tidbits of this tournament was Michigan’s socks that featured the M logo on either side. They wore this same uniform against LSU in the semi-finals. The only other uniform combination the Wolverines wore was a blue top with yellow-blue-yellow striping across the sleeve cuffs and collar. They wore white pants with blue piping and sansabelts. The 2005 National Championship team from Michigan wore a very similar design. This uniform was worn against UCLA on day two. Both of these designs were worn in the Finals, which, again, will be covered in a bit.

The Auburn Tigers made history this year in many ways, including making their first appearance in the WCWS and earning this first win in Oklahoma City in program history. The 4th seeded team opened up against LSU, wearing their all white uniforms paired with blue socks. The Tigers also wore the all white combo against UCLA in their third game of the tournament. For games two and four against Tennessee and Florida, respectively, Auburn wore their blue tops over grey pants with blue socks.

LSU, the fifth seed, wore their all-purple uniforms in their first game against Auburn. The purple tops featured white shoulder panels and abdomen stripes. They also wore white stirrups with purple ribbon stripes over white sanitary socks. LSU’s second game, versus Florida, saw the Tigers wearing an all white combination with purple collar stripes, abdomen and pant stripes. Included with this combo were purple stirrups with white Northwestern stripes.The odd thing about LSU’s white pants are the purple sports on the back of the knee, which makes it look like the stirrups are extended up the back of the pants leg. The Tigers knocked out Alabama in their third game of the tournament, this time wearing white tops with purple sleeves and collar inserts, purple pants and white stirrups with purple Northwestern stripes. The Tigers face Michigan wearing their yellow tops with purple side panels and white and purple collar stripes, white pants with purple stripes, and purple socks. 

Alabama came into Oklahoma City seeded sixth. Their first game they saw Michigan, and wore red pullover tops with a white A logo, white pants with red hip stripes, and red socks. They wore these uniforms against LSU in their third game of the Series. Their second game against Oregon featured the team wearing all white uniforms with a red Bama script across the chest, plain white pants, and red socks.

UCLA, the seventh seeded team, faced Oregon late on day one after a lengthy weather delay. The Bruins came out to the field wearing their all dark blue adidas template uniform that consisted of BRUINS across the chest with the UCLA script logo sublimated underneath, matching blue pants, with a lighter Bruin blue used as accents and stirrups on top of dark blue sanis.

In their second game, the Bruins faced off against Michigan, in which they wore an all white uniform with Bruin blue shoulder panel inserts, white pants with blue piping and blue sansabelts, and white stirrups with blue ribbon striping on top of white sanis. The Bruins also wore their dark blue uniforms in the game against Auburn.

Tennessee came into the WCWS as the number eight seed, so they faced Florida in the opening game. For that game, Tennessee wore their orange tops with white panel inserts and script Tennessee, white pants with double orange striping that matches the football uniforms, and orange socks. In their second game, this time against Auburn, the Vols wore white tops with orange-white-orange stripes around the sleeves and collars, orange pants with white piping, and white socks.

The Final Series pitted #1 seed Florida versus #3 seed Michigan. Game one saw the Gators wearing their white tops with orange pants, paired with white stirrups that have blue and orange stripes over white sanis. Michigan came in wearing their blue tops and white pants.

Game 2 of the Finals saw Michigan tie up the series 1-1 while wearing their white tops and blue pants, while the Gators wore their orange tops for the first time of the WCWS with blue pants and their orange stirrups.

The final game of the 2014-15 NCAA Softball season saw Florida win their second championship back-to-back. The Gators defeated the Wolverines while wearing their all white uniforms with the blue stirrups. Michigan wore their blue tops with white pants in the loss. 

Photo from @SEC

Until next year OKC…