Bronchos Make National Tourney
5/10/2010 9:42:35 AM
INDIANAPOLIS (May 10) – Central Oklahoma received an at-large bid into the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Monday morning, with the Bronchos set to go to Emporia, Kan. this weekend for the South Central Regional.
UCO, 32-19 on the year and runners-up of the Lone Star Conference North Division, will meet LSC South Division rival Angelo State (43-12) at 3 p.m. Friday at Trusler Sports Complex (Turnbull Field). Host Emporia State (47-12) will take on Texas Woman’s (37-20) 5:30 p.m. in the other first-round game.
Three games will be held Saturday in the double elimination tournament, with the championship game and “if necessary” contest scheduled for Sunday.
The champion moves on to face the winner of the other four-team South Central Regional that will be held in Wichita Falls, Texas this weekend. Host Midwestern State, St. Mary’s, Nebraska-Omaha and West Texas A&M will compete in that regional.
The two regional winners face off in a best-of-three series the weekend of May 21-22, with the champion advancing to the eight-team Division II World Series in St. Joseph, Mo. May 27-31.
“We’re excited about being in the national tournament again and look forward to seeing what we can do this weekend,” said 13th-year UCO coach Genny Stidham. “It’s great to still be playing and our players are ready for the challenge.”
The Bronchos will be making their fifth Division II national tournament appearance since 2002. UCO won its only South Central Regional title in 2006 en route to a fifth-place national finish.
Click here for the Broncho Blog.