Courtney Deifel claims she always knew this version of Arkansas softball would be the first.
With tears in her eyes and a voice that couldn’t stop cracking, Deifel took the podium after a super regional triumph over Duke.
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Her vision was a reality. The Razorbacks are going to the Women’s College World Series.
Arkansas (47-11) finished off a two-game sweep over the Blue Devils (43-17) with a 10-2 run-rule victory on Saturday, May 23. With five wins and zero losses through the first two stages of the NCAA Tournament, the Hogs left no doubts that they are one of the best teams in the country.
They’ll get the chance to go play for a national championship in Oklahoma City next weekend.
“This is really hard to do. It’s really hard to do, and we’ve been really close,” Deifel said. “I don’t know if I’m more happy about winning or not having to field all your questions leading up to supers, so I’m glad that we can shelf those now.”
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Only a handful of programs have been better than Deifel’s since she arrived in Fayetteville in 2016. Arkansas has 405 victories with a .681 winning percentage and a pair of SEC titles, but the super regionals proved to be a stubborn obstacle.
Arkansas hosted an opponent with a trip to Oklahoma City on the line four times before this weekend. The Hogs had to watch someone else celebrate on their home field all four occasions.
Before the latest super regional against Duke, sophomore Ella McDowell shared that she made sure she stood and watched Ole Miss go through its jubilation after the Rebels eliminated the Razorbacks in 2025. On Saturday, McDowell went 2 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs. She played immaculate defense and recorded the final out of the game on a foul ball to third.
“To come back and to grow from it a year later, and to get that final out, it wasn’t just for myself, it was for these girls beside me,” McDowell said. “I’m just so happy, and I’m so proud. I knew it was going to happen, like Coach (Deifel) said.”
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Payton Burnham also mentioned last year’s heartbreak multiple times after knocking off the Blue Devils. She struck out six and pitched all five innings in Game 2.
“That’s the moment you dream of,” Burnham said. “Like, you have the chance to go to battle with these girls and make history.”
All season, Arkansas played with joy and a sense of fearlessness, but their postgame words hinted at the underlying pressure. Six returning starters and two returning pitchers all played roles in evaporating the burden.
Karlie Davison, who is heading to her second WCWS after getting there as a freshman with Utah in 2023, hit a three-run blast in the fifth that gave Arkansas an eight-run lead. It was her final at-bat inside Bogle Park and gave Davison a team-high four home runs in the NCAA Tournament.
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“Death, taxes, Karlie Davison,” McDowell said. “It doesn’t matter where the ball is pitched, Karlie Davison is going to get it done.”
Three newcomers also played major roles. Transfers Tianna Bell and Dakota Kennedy crushed the Blue Devils for a second consecutive game. Bell launched a two-run homer in the first inning, while Kennedy scored once and also drove in a run. Freshman Brinli Bain walked twice and scored once.
For Deifel, this win was about more than the 27 players on Arkansas’ roster. They spearheaded a first WCWS run, but the foundation was laid across Deifel’s previous 11 years in the program through former players and current coaches.
“Just like I told everyone that I hugged, this is theirs too,” Deifel said. “To come here, to trust us before it was where it was at, and play in a way that got the next one to buy in. This has been building, and this is absolutely theirs.”
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Deifel knew this was Arkansas’ time.
That self-confidence is a staple of the program.
“Unwavering belief in ourselves, our players, what we’re building, what we’re doing, and not compromising who we are,” she said. “For that, you’re not going to find a better group of humans leading this program.”
Next week, the Razorbacks will make a three-hour drive west to the promised land of college softball.
The next step in Deifel’s journey has been a long time coming.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Courtney Deifel’s vision is reality as Arkansas softball reaches WCWS
