The first Women's College World Series of softball was conducted in 1969. It was organized by the Omaha Softball Association and recognized by the Division for Girls' and Women's Sports (DGWS) as a championship tournament. Softball teams from nine colleges met on May 16–18 in Omaha and Fremont, Nebraska. A tenth team from the Philippines encountered a travel delay en route and was forced to miss the tournament. The first day of games was rained out, causing the 16 games to be played in two days. , the chair of the physical education department at the University of Nebraska–Omaha, was a driving force in organizing and directing that first tournament, as well as the next ten while the series was held in Omaha.