The 1982 Nebraska softball team set the tone for the rich tradition of Husker softball by advancing to the inaugural Women's College World Series in softball's first season as an NCAA sport.
Nancy Plantz guided the Huskers to the first-ever WCWS in her second-to-last season as head coach. She also helped Nebraska capture its first-ever Big Eight Conference title with a 9-3 record in league play.
In the NCAA Tournament, the Huskers won 2-of-3 games against conference foe Missouri to advance to the WCWS in Omaha. In the first game, NU won a 1-0, 11-inning decision, before Missouri turned the table on Nebraska with a 1-0 victory to stave off elimination. In a winner-take-all game, the Huskers clawed past the Tigers, 4-1, to earn a spot in the final field of eight.
In Omaha, Nebraska defeated Creighton, 3-2, to win its first-ever WCWS game. After defeating the Bluejays, NU was shutout by Arizona State, 2-0. The Huskers were then eliminated from the event following a 1-0 loss to Fresno State. Nebraska finished in a tie for fifth place in the inaugural Women's College World Series.
In addition to a flurry of firsts, the 1982 squad also tied the school record with 33 victories on the season, while setting school records with a .702 winning percentage and nine conference victories.
Below is a quick look at the accomplishments of the 1982 squad, along with the team's NCAA Tournament results.
- Finished with a 33-18 overall record
- Tied a then-school record with 33 victories
- Won school's first-ever Big Eight title
- Finished with a then-school record .702 winning percentage
- Earned school's first WCWS berth
- One of only eight teams to qualify for the first-ever WCWS
- Finished in a tie for fifth place in the inaugural event
| NCAA Midwest Regional (Lincoln, Neb.) | ||
| Opponent | Result | Score |
| Missouri | Win | 1-0 (11) |
| Missouri | Loss | 1-0 |
| Missouri | Win | 4-1 |
| WCWS (Omaha, Neb.) | ||
| Opponent | Result | Score |
| Creighton | Win | 3-2 |
| Arizona State | Loss | 0-2 |
| Fresno State |
Loss |
0-1 |