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Women's Professional Fastpitch

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This article is about the newest professional league. For the defunct league of a similar name, see Women's Pro Softball League.
Women's Professional Fastpitch
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 Women's Professional Fastpitch season
SportFastpitch softball
FoundedOctober 14, 2021; 2 years ago (2021-10-14)[1]
First season2022
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Headquarters4801 Gaillardia Parkway[2]
Oklahoma City
Most recent
champion(s)		Texas Smoke
Most titlesTexas Smoke
(1 title)
Official websitewprofastpitch.com

Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is a professional women's fastpitch softball league in the United States. The new league began its promotional campaign in 2021[3] and launched its first official season in 2023.[4][5][6]

The league is unrelated to the defunct league that used the names National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL) along with Women's Professional Fastpitch. Not to be confused with a new competing league, the Association of Fastpitch Professionals.

History

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Following the 2023 season, the Oklahoma City Spark announced their departure from the WPF in December 2023.[7] In April 2024, the Smash It Sports Vipers and USSSA Pride both announced they would not participate in the 2024 season.[8][9] Three new teams in Texas were added to replace the teams that left the league, the Coastal Bend Tidal Wave, Hub City Adelitas and Texas Monarchs.[10]

In April 2024, B4Real Enterprises was named the league's operations and management team.[11] On April 16, 2024, the WPF announced their intentions to expand internationally and add two teams from Mexico.[12]

Teams

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2024 Women's Professional Fastpitch teams
Team Location Venue Joined
Coastal Bend Tidal Wave Robstown, Texas Fairgrounds Field 2024
Hub City Adelitas Floydada, Texas Lady Winds Field 2024
Texas Monarchs San Marcos, Texas Bobcat Softball Stadium 2024
Texas Smoke 2023
Former Women's Professional Fastpitch teams
Team Location Venue First Last Status
Smash it Sports Vipers Oxford, Alabama Choccolocco Park 2022 2023 On hiatus[13]
USSSA Pride Viera, Florida USSSA Space Coast Complex 2022 2023 On hiatus[14]
Oklahoma City Spark Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium
2023
 AFP team

Championship Series

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Championship Series history
Season Winning team Coach Series Losing team Coach
2023 Texas Smoke Tori Tyson 2–0 USSSA Pride Kelly Kretschman

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "New US professional softball league: Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF)". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Contact WPF". Women's Professional Fastpitch. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Protect Her Dream". youtube.com. Women's Professional Fastpitch. 29 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Women's Professional Fastpitch Kicks Off In June 2022". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  5. ^ "USSSA partners with USA Softball to launch new women's professional softball league". Florida Today. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  6. ^ "FAQ". WPF. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. ^ McAfee, Roger (December 22, 2023). "OKC Spark Announce Departure from Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF)". extrainningsoftball.com. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Eady, Aurielle (April 4, 2024). "USSSA Pride, professional woman's softball team in Florida, will not operate in 2024: 'We are saddened'". fox35orlando.com. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Medley, Joe (April 24, 2024). "No Vipers in '24". easportstoday.com. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  10. ^ Liska, Larissa (June 13, 2024). "Women's Professional Fastpitch make South Texas splash with Coastal Bend Tidal Wave". kristv.com. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "WPF League Update". wprofastpitch.com. April 5, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "WPF Expands Internationally". wprofastpitch.com. April 16, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "Smash It Sports Vipers announce they won't participate in 2024 season". The Anniston Star. April 24, 2024. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024. The team released a statement Wednesday saying it would not be participating in the 2024 season. However, the Vipers do plan to return to Oxford in 2025.
  14. ^ Eady, Aurielle (April 4, 2024). "USSSA Pride, professional woman's softball team in Florida, will not operate in 2024: 'We are saddened'". Fox 35 Orlando. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024. ["...] the USSSA Pride will not operate in 2024," the statement read.
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