THE AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO TULSA
For the second time in tournament history, the American Athletic Conference Softball Championship marks its return to the Collins Family Softball Complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma. No. 6 East Carolina and No. 3 UCF (12 p.m. ET), No. 7 Memphis and No. 2 USF (3 p.m. ET) and No. 5 Houston and No. 4 Tulsa (6 p.m. ET) open the first round of the tournament on May 13 on ESPN+. The games one and two winners will meet in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. (ET) and the winner of game three squares off with No. 1 Wichita State at 7 p.m. (ET) on May 14 on ESPN+. The 2021 American Softball Championship game is scheduled for May 15 at 2 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.

SHOCKERS WIN FIRST AMERICAN TITLE, SET CONFERENCE WINS MARK FOR A SINGLE SEASON
No. 24 Wichita State capped its 2021 American schedule with an 18-5-1 record (.771), the most conference victories for an American squad in a single season. The 2021 campaign marked the first year in which the conference moved to four-game weekend series matchups as opposed to the traditional three that previously yielded a maximum of 21 American games per season. The Shockers claimed the third regular-season championship in program history and their first since joining The American to earn the top seed in the upcoming American championship.

THE LAST TIME THE TOURNEY WAS AT TULSA
During the first American Softball Championship that was held at the Collins Family Softball Complex in 2016, Tulsa emerged from the field as the third seed to capture the conference title. The Golden Hurricane shut out No. 6 East Carolina 2-0, No. 2 UCF 4-0 and No. 1 USF 4-0 on its home field. Tulsa remains the only team in American Softball Championship history to win the tournament without surrendering a single run (also accomplished the same feat in 2017 at ECU Softball Stadium).

WHO IS GOING TO EMERGE AS THE TOURNAMENT WINNER?
Of the first five American Softball Championships that were played to completion, the tournament’s top seed has won the event on two occasions. UCF captured the title from the top spot in the 2015 tournament at the UCF Softball Complex and Tulsa held court at the top in 2017 at the ECU Softball Stadium. Tulsa is the lowest seed to ever win the American Softball Championship, emerging as the sixth seed with wins over No. 3 Wichita State, No. 2 Houston and No. 1 USF in 2018 at the USF Softball Stadium.

THE AMERICAN IN THE RPI
As of the May 9 NCAA RPI rankings release prior to the 2021 American Softball Championship, three conference teams remain directly in the mix to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship. Wichita State led the way among American teams at 28th in the RPI, with UCF checking in 32nd. USF remains in the running prior to the conference tournament at 56th in the latest rankings. The three teams have combined for 15 wins against the current RPI Top 50 and 38 victories against the current RPI Top 100.

2021 American Athletic Conference Softball Championship
May 13-15, 2021
Collins Family Softball Complex 
Tulsa, Oklahoma

First Round - Thursday, May 13
No. 3 UCF vs. No. 6 East Carolina – 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT (ESPN+)
No. 2 USF vs. No. 7 Memphis – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
No. 4 Tulsa vs. No. 5 Houston – 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT (ESPN+)

Semifinals - Friday, May 14
Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner – 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 3 winner vs. No. 1 Wichita State – 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT (ESPN+)

Championship Game - Saturday, May 15
Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner – 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT (ESPN2)