{{Short description|Professional women's softball league}} {{about|the newest professional league|the defunct league that originally used the name|National Pro Fastpitch}} {{Infobox sports league | title = | current_season = | logo = Women's Professional Fastpitch Logo.png | pixels = 220px | sport = Fastpitch softball | founded = {{start date and age|2021|10|14}}<ref>{{cite web |title=New US professional softball league: Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) |url=https://www.wbsc.org/news/new-professional-softball-league-in-usa-womens-professional-fastpitch-wpf- |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation |access-date=23 October 2021}}</ref> | inaugural = 2022 (exhibition) | commissioner = | teams = | champion = Atlanta Smoke<ref>{{cite web|title=Atlanta Smoke|url=https://www.TheAtlantaSmoke.com|access-date=16 October 2025}}</ref> | most_champs = Atlanta Smoke<br />(3 titles) | country = United States | headquarters = 4801 Gaillardia Parkway<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact WPF |url=https://wprofastpitch.com/contact |publisher=Women's Professional Fastpitch |access-date=23 October 2021}}</ref><br>Oklahoma City | TV = | website = [https://wprofastpitch.com/ wprofastpitch.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<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8z8pYpPFw |title=Protect Her Dream |website=youtube.com |date=29 September 2021 |publisher=Women's Professional Fastpitch |language=en}}</ref> and launched its first official season in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | title = Women's Professional Fastpitch Kicks Off In June 2022 | work = National Fastpitch Coaches Association | date = 2021-09-30 | url = https://nfca.org/divnews/general/women-s-professional-fastpitch-kicks-off-in-june-2022 | access-date = 2021-10-16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2021/09/30/usssa-partners-usa-softball-launch-new-womens-professional-softball-league/5931019001/|title=USSSA partners with USA Softball to launch new women's professional softball league|accessdate=2021-10-16|work=Florida Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://wprofastpitch.com/faq |website=WPF |access-date=9 June 2023}}</ref>
==History== Following the 2023 season, the Oklahoma City Spark announced their departure from the WPF in December 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://extrainningsoftball.com/okc-spark-announce-departure-from-womens-professional-fastpitch-wpf/ |title=OKC Spark Announce Departure from Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) |website=extrainningsoftball.com |first=Roger |last=McAfee |date=December 22, 2023 |access-date=June 13, 2024}}</ref> In April 2024, the Smash It Sports Vipers and USSSA Pride both announced they would not participate in the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/usssa-pride-professional-womans-softball-team-in-florida-will-not-operate-in-2024-we-are-saddened |title=USSSA Pride, professional woman's softball team in Florida, will not operate in 2024: 'We are saddened' |website=fox35orlando.com |first=Aurielle |last=Eady |date=April 4, 2024 |access-date=June 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.easportstoday.com/2024/04/24/no-vipers-in-24/ |title=No Vipers in '24 |website=easportstoday.com |first=Joe |last=Medley |date=April 24, 2024 |access-date=June 19, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kristv.com/sports/friday-night-fever/womens-professional-fastpitch-make-south-texas-splash-with-coastal-bend-tidal-wave |title=Women's Professional Fastpitch make South Texas splash with Coastal Bend Tidal Wave |website=kristv.com |first=Larissa |last=Liska |date=June 13, 2024 |access-date=June 19, 2024}}</ref>
In April 2024, B4Real Enterprises was named the league's operations and management team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wprofastpitch.com/news/wpf-league-update |title=WPF League Update |website=wprofastpitch.com |date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=June 19, 2024}}</ref> On April 16, 2024, the WPF announced their intentions to expand internationally and add two teams from Mexico.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wprofastpitch.com/news/wpf-expands-internationally |title=WPF Expands Internationally |website=wprofastpitch.com |date=April 16, 2024 |access-date=June 19, 2024}}</ref>
== Teams ==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ style="text-align: left;" | 2024 Women's Professional Fastpitch teams ! scope="col" | Team ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Location ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Venue ! scope="col" | Joined |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Coastal Bend Tidal Wave''' | Robstown, Texas || Fairgrounds Field || 2024 |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Hub City Adelitas''' | Floydada, Texas || Lady Winds Field || 2024 |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Texas Monarchs''' | rowspan="2" | San Marcos, Texas | rowspan="2" | Bobcat Softball Stadium || 2024 |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Texas Smoke''' | 2023 |}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ style="text-align: left;" | Former Women's Professional Fastpitch teams ! scope="col" | Team ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Location ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Venue ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|First|First season}} ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Last|Last season}} ! scope="col" | Status |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Smash it Sports Vipers''' | Oxford, Alabama || Choccolocco Park || 2022 || 2023 || On hiatus<ref>{{cite web |title=Smash It Sports Vipers announce they won't participate in 2024 season |url=https://www.annistonstar.com/free/smash-it-sports-vipers-announce-they-wont-participate-in-2024-season/article_74f15a08-0280-11ef-9dc1-8f064ac91b14.html |website=The Anniston Star |access-date=July 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706135852/https://www.annistonstar.com/free/smash-it-sports-vipers-announce-they-wont-participate-in-2024-season/article_74f15a08-0280-11ef-9dc1-8f064ac91b14.html |archive-date=July 6, 2024 |date=April 24, 2024 |quote=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. |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''USSSA Pride''' | Viera, Florida || USSSA Space Coast Complex || 2022 || 2023 || On hiatus<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eady |first1=Aurielle |title=USSSA Pride, professional woman's softball team in Florida, will not operate in 2024: 'We are saddened' |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/usssa-pride-professional-womans-softball-team-in-florida-will-not-operate-in-2024-we-are-saddened |website=Fox 35 Orlando |access-date=July 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404120611/https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/usssa-pride-professional-womans-softball-team-in-florida-will-not-operate-in-2024-we-are-saddened |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |date=April 4, 2024 |quote=["...] the USSSA Pride will not operate in 2024," the statement read. |url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="background:#f8f9fa" | '''Oklahoma City Spark''' | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma || USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium || colspan="2" | {{center|2023}} || AFP team |}
== Championship Series == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Championship Series history !scope="col"|Season !scope="col"|Winning team !scope="col"|Coach !scope="col"|Series !scope="col"|Losing team !scope="col"|Coach |- !scope="row"|2023 |Texas Smoke |Tori Tyson |2–0 |USSSA Pride |Kelly Kretschman |}
== See also == * List of organized baseball leagues ** Athletes Unlimited Softball League ** Women's Pro Baseball League * Women in baseball * Women's sports in the United States
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{official website}} {{Women's Professional Fastpitch|state=collapsed}} {{Major women's sport leagues in North America}} {{Top sport leagues in the United States}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Women's Professional Fastpitch Category:Softball competitions Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States Category:2022 establishments in the United States Category:Sports leagues established in 2022 Category:2022 in American women's sports Category:2023 in American women's sports Category:2024 in American women's sports