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UNO Softball History Exhibit Opens in Criss Library

The exhibit, A More Equal Playing Field: Celebrating More than 50 Years of UNO Softball, is open through May 19, 2025.

  • published: 2025/01/28
  • contact: Claire Du Laney - Archives and Special Collections
  • email: cdulaney@unomaha.edu

A More Equal Playing Field: Celebrating more than 50 Years of UNO Softball is now on display in Criss Library’s Archives and Special Collections. The exhibit highlights moments in the history of women’s softball at UNO, which began in1969. The exhibit showcases photos, posters, documents, and items that tell this important story of women’s athletics.

Softball at UNO began in 1969 and was incorporated into the Athletics department in 1975. That would be a landmark year for UNO softball as the team won the Women’s College World Series held in Omaha. Since then, UNO softball has gone on to win or place in numerous championships, including making their Division I NCAA Tournament debut in 2023.

Historically, women’s athletic teams had noticeably less support and funding for essential equipment and travel than their male counterparts. For example, prior to 1972, athletes on women’s basketball, volleyball, and softball teams shared the same jerseys. The jerseys were purchased from the bookstore with numbers written using electrical tape. In 2019, softball celebrated 50 years with alumni, coaches, and players coming together to participate in this important anniversary and reflect on the challenges they faced and their victories. In 2025, we celebrate 56 years of softball and 50 years since that UNO victory at the Women’s College World Series.

You can find these and other archival materials using the Nebraska Archives Online database of finding aids. If you need help accessing the database, watch this video tutorial.

The exhibit is on display in Archives and Special Collections, located on the first floor of Criss Library. Criss Library is open to the public Monday - Thursday 7 A.M.- 10 P.M., Friday 7 A.M.- 5 P.M., Saturday 9 A.M. - 5 P.M., and Sunday noon - 10 P.M.  Archives and Special Collections is open to the public Monday - Friday, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. This exhibit was curated by Claire Du Laney, Outreach Archivist.