NCAA Reverses Interpretation That Softball And Baseball Are The Same Sports

NCAA Baseball and Softball
Talking Points
February 2009

NCAA legislation governs NCAA amateurism regulations, allows student-athletes to use four seasons of competition in any one sport and limits outside athletic activities in the student-athlete’s sport (amateur team participation, etc.).

Previous interpretations of NCAA legislation stated baseball and softball were the same sport for NCAA amateurism and outside competition regulations. Therefore, a softball student-athlete could not participate on an organized baseball team during the academic year, for example, without jeopardizing her eligibility in softball.

The Women’s Sports Foundation asked the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) to review the issue of softball and baseball being considered the same sport. The CWA asked the divisional interpretive bodies to reconsider the interpretations.

Based on the information gathered, including a West Virginia court case that treats the sports as different, NCAA Divisions I, II and III voted to reverse the interpretations.

The reversal now allows a softball student-athlete, for example, to participate on a baseball league and vice versa, within other NCAA rules and bylaws.
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This is extremely important, because it will help change society's attitude toward women's baseball... and that will help change things for the better along other avenues of baseball.