Highlighted by three top 12 seeds, 71 percent of Big 12 programs received bids to the 2021 NCAA Softball Championship. Oklahoma earned the No. 1 overall seed while Oklahoma State garnered the fifth seed and Texas received the 12^th seed. Baylor and Iowa State were also selected to the tournament field.

OU, OSU and UT will host regional sites this weekend from May 21-23. As top eight seeds, the Sooners and Cowgirls will remain at home for Super Regionals if they advance to that round. The Women’s College World Series will be contested June 3-9 at Oklahoma City’s USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, site of the Big 12 Championship.
 
The Sooners will make their 27^th consecutive NCAA Championship appearance and have advanced to the Women’s College World Series 13 times with national titles in 2000, 2013, 2016 and 2017. The Cowgirls are in the tournament field for the 23^rd year with WCWS appearances in eight seasons. This marks the Longhorns’ 21^st postseason. They have advanced to the WCWS on four occasions. Baylor is in the NCAA field for the 14^th year and has also made four WCWS appearances. Iowa State received an NCAA Championship bid for the second time with its first in 1988.
 
Big 12 First Round Games
Friday, May 21
Iowa State vs. UNI (ESPN3), 1:00 p.m. (Columbia, Mo.)
Campbell at Oklahoma State (ESPN3), 1:00 p.m. (Stillwater, Okla.)
Baylor vs. South Alabama (ESPN3), 3:30 p.m. (Gainesville, Fla.)
Saint Francis (Pa.) at Texas (LHN), 4:00 p.m. (Austin, Texas)
Morgan State at Oklahoma (ESPN3), 7:30 p.m. (Norman, Okla.)
 
Double elimination format.
All games are also available on the ESPN App and listed as Central time.