The 1973 Women's College World Series was contested among 16 teams on May 17-20 in Omaha, Nebraska. It was the first series held under the auspices of the AIAW, which had recently been established by the Division of Girls' and Women's Sports (DGWS) for the purpose of conducting national championships.
Arizona State won its second consecutive WCWS championship, splitting the final two games with Illinois State, including the marathon final game that went 16 innings. Margie Wright pitched all 16 innings in that game for the Redbirds as they narrowly fell to Arizona State, 4-3. On the day of that final, Wright hurled 30 innings in three games. Ironically, for pitching too many innings in one day, a three-woman Illinois sports commission suspended her from pitching in any game in her upcoming senior season and also banned the softball team from post-season play in 1974.[1]: 23–24
The double-elimination tournament included these teams:
| Team | Appearance |
|---|---|
| Arizona State | 3rd |
| Ball State | 1st |
| Iowa State | 2nd |
| Illinois State | 5th |
| Kansas | 1st |
| Michigan State | 1st |
| Nebraska–Omaha | 5th |
| North Dakota State | 1st |
| Northern Colorado | 5th |
| Northern Iowa | 1st |
| South Carolina | 2nd |
| South Dakota State | 3rd |
| Southwest Missouri State | 5th |
| Wayne State (NE) | 3rd |
| Weber State | 1st |
| Western Illinois | 3rd |
| Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper round 3 | Upper final | Final | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Dakota State | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 4(9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weber State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weber State | W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Missouri State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Iowa | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 2 | Arizona State | 0 | 4(16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Missouri State | 7 | Illinois State | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Missouri | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower round 4 | Lower round 5 | Lower final | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Iowa | W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 3 | Weber State | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | W | Kansas | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Iowa | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Iowa | L | Southwest Missouri State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota State | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 1 | Illinois State | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota State | 7 | Northern Colorado | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Missouri State | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 8 | Michigan State | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska–Omaha | 1 | Southwest Missouri State | 3(10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 5 | Wayne State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Dakota State | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place | School | WCWS Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Arizona State | 5-1 |
| 2nd | Illinois State | 5-2 |
| 3rd | Southwest Missouri State | 4-2 |
| 4th | Western Illinois | 4-2 |
| 5th | Northern Colorado | 3-2 |
| 6th | Kansas | 2-2 |
| 7th | Northern Iowa | 2-2 |
| Nebraska–Omaha | 2-2 | |
| 9th | South Dakota State | 1-2 |
| Weber State College | 1-2 | |
| Michigan State | 1-2 | |
| Wayne State College | 1-2 | |
| 13th | Iowa State | 0-2 |
| Ball State | 0-2 | |
| South Carolina | 0-2 | |
| North Dakota State | 0-2 |
