DANCING! For the first time since 2023 C-N softball heads to the NCAA Tournament
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the 22nd time in school history, Carson-Newman softball is headed into postseason play.
VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Macauley Bailey Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the 22nd time in school history, Carson-Newman softball is headed into postseason play.
The Eagles will make their 18th foray into NCAA tournament play and their 22nd overall when they head to Florence, South Carolina, to open up the Southeast Regional against second-seeded Francis Mario on Thursday at the FMU Softball Stadium.
"We're excited to play. I kind of felt we should've been in all along," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "Just glad to get in, and now once we're in, just gotta show up and play the game."
Carson-Newman has won a game in three of its last six trips to regionals. The Eagles picked up wins over Augusta 6-3 in 2015, Georgia College 2-1 in 2018 and run-ruled Anderson 13-0 in 2019. Carson-Newman was two-and-out of the regional in its last three trips, most recently in 2023.
The Eagles are looking for their second-ever Super Regional appearance, their first since 2009. Carson-Newman opened that 2009 tournament with a 6-5 win over USC Aiken before defeating the host Lenoir-Rhyne Bears twice, 6-4 and 2-1, before heading to top-ranked North Georgia, where the Eagles fell 6-3 and 1-0 to the Nighthawks.
Francis Marion, the Conference Carolinas champions, serves as a host for the second straight year, after being the top seed in the Southeast last season. The Patriots own a 7-5 edge in the all-time series. The schools last met in the 2023 Regionals, with FMU winning 5-3, ending Carson-Newman's season.
South Atlantic Conference foes, three-seed Lenoir-Rhyne and six-seed Anderson, represent the other half of the bracket. Carson-Newman last faced the Bears at the end of the regular with LR taking both meetings. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Trojans split during the regular season and last week at the SAC Championship Series. C-N won the opening round contest, 5-2, before Anderson rallied to eliminate the Eagles, 9-8.
The other half of the regional bracket is set for Dahlonegah, Ga. at top-seeded North Georgia. The Nighthawks square off with SAC Tournament Champions, Lincoln, in the opening round, while Columbus State gets Lander.
