Upstate Softball Earns At-Large Bid to NCAA Tournament, Will Play in Tuscaloosa Regional
5/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Spartanburg, S.C. – After setting a Division I school record for wins and winning the A-Sun regular season championship, the USC Upstate softball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and will play in the Tuscaloosa Regional alongside national No. 2 seed Alabama, South Alabama and SIU Edwardsville.
"It's always fun to sit and watch the selection show," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "I believe we were the next-to-last name called and it did get a little nerve-racking. Hopefully this time around, we are a little more seasoned and can meet the challenges ahead. It's a good day to be a Spartan."
Upstate will make a return trip to the Tuscaloosa Regional, playing at Alabama's home stadium for the second straight year in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans learned of their NCAA Tournament fate among a throng of family, friends and fans at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Spartanburg.
Upstate will open play in the Tuscaloosa Regional Friday at 4:30 p.m. against South Alabama. The game will be carried on ESPN3. Alabama will take on SIE Edwardsville. The regional will be conducted Friday-Sunday. South Alabama fell to Louisiana-Lafayette in the championship game of the Sun Belt Tournament and stands 40-12 on the year. Alabama reached the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and is 45-11 on the year. SIU Edwardsville won the OVC Tournament championship and is 30-21 on the year.
Upstate and Lipscomb become the first A-Sun schools to earn an at-large selection to the NCAA Softball Tournament in the history of the conference, which also includes the period when the league was known as the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC). The Spartans and Lady Bisons join Stetson, which won the A-Sun Tournament title, as the three A-Sun schools in the NCAA Tournament.
Upstate is 45-7 on the year and set several program firsts in 2014. The Spartans have been ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 polls for the last five weeks and in six weeks total during the season, both program records. They have broken the Division I era school record with 45 wins, bettering the old mark of 42, and are just two wins shy of tying the program's all-time record of 47 established by the 2007 squad. Upstate has also broken the school's all-time season home run record, now with 59. Shellie Robinson owns the team lead with 17 while she topped the Division I era career school record and is tied for the program's all-time record. Upstate has also owned the nation's top ERA the last two weeks with all three pitchers ranked in the Top 25 individually.
Upstate nearly swept every major A-Sun award when the league released its postseason awards as Shellie Robinson was named the player of the year, Anna Miller was named the pitcher of the year, Lexi Shubert earned freshman of the year honors and head coach Chris Hawkins was named the coach of the year. The Spartans also earned a school record six all-conference selections, five of which were first team picks.
Last year, Upstate finished second in the regular season in the A-Sun and stormed through to win the A-Sun Tournament to secure the program's, and athletic department's, first team berth to the NCAA Tournament, playing in the Tuscaloosa Regional at the home of the defending national champions and national No. 10 seed, Alabama Crimson Tide. The Spartans went 1-2 in the tournament, claiming an 8-0 win against Jacksonville State with Anna Miller tossing a perfect game and losing twice to Western Kentucky.
Follow the Spartans on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
