Texas and Texas Tech are set to begin the Women’s College World Series Championship Finals Wednesday evening, However, not everyone has loved the WCWS this year. Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso voiced her unhappiness with teams playing doubleheaders to get into the Championship Finals.
Gasso certainly has some ground to stand on, with the Sooners having won the previous four WCWS national titles. Oklahoma was going to have to play a doubleheader on Monday if it had beaten Texas Tech.
The WCWS is currently set up so that the teams which lost on Monday, Oklahoma and Tennessee, would have had to play two games on Monday for a spot in the Championship Finals, something you don’t see in other NCAA sports.
“They don’t do it in baseball,” Gasso said. “It should not happen. If we were to win or if Texas Tech were to lose and they made here all the way undefeated and they were to lose to us and then we have to play another game right after, that is not fair. It’s not fair to them more than it is not fair to use because we didn’t get there on the road that they did. But we’ve got to make changes. We’ve got to put money into this. People will watch. They’ll come back and they’ll watch this next day. This is one of the most-watched championships in any sport. Softball is one of the top. So why wouldn’t you want to come back and watch that ‘if’ game? Or would you rather watch us have zero energy left and you’re not able to throw your best because you’re just trying to scrap it together. It’s unfair to the athletes at this high level. That is my soapbox. Let’s try to change that even if it’s going to cost a little bit of extra money. These athletes deserve it. And thank you all very much. Thank you for listening.” Gasso said via Sooners Wire.
Now we’ll see if the NCAA responds with any postseason adjustments this offseason.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso calls for scheduling change in Women’s College World Series
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
