Monday, May 17, 1999 - The Michigan Daily -13
Michigan to host NCAA regional
There's no place like home!
1999 NCAA Softball Regionals
y Stephanie Offen
aily Sports Editor
Alumni Field was not so friendly to
e Michigan softball team last week-
ttd. For the first time in the tourna-
ient's history, the Wolverines did not
ake home the Big Ten crown.
But Michigan will have a second
nce to try its hand at playing host
weekend for the fifth-straight time.
he NCAA Regional Championships
vill take place Thursday-Sunday at
lumni Field.
This year's tournament introduces a
tew format. Each of the eight regions
re expanded to include two more
cams, increasing the field to 48
,quads.
The Wolverines received a No. 1
eed in the double-elimination tourna-
ment, but will be faced with tough
tepetition. No. 6 seed Florida
Atlantic will be Michigan's first oppo-
tent on Thursday. The game will be
alayed at 4 p.m. and will be the last one
flayed on the first day of competition.
Tle other teams competing at Alumni
Field will be Nebraska, Arizona State,
Central Michigan and Notre Dame.
"We all have the same shot," coach
Carol Hutchins said. "The one who
stays focused will win."
Here is a look at the teams that will
compete in NCAA Region VI for a
chance to travel to Oklahoma City for
the Women's College World Series:
No. 2 Nebraska: The Cornhuskers
will be making their fifth-straight
NCAA appearance. Nebraska felljust
short of winning their second-straight
Big 12 title by losing to Texas in the
tournament final. The team will face
Notre Dame at 1:30 pm on Thursday.
No. 3 Arizona State: Former
Michigan pitcher Sara Griffin will
return home as assistant coach for the
Sun Devils. Arizona State is one out of
seven Pac 10 teams competing in this
year's championships. They suffered a
loss at the hands of the Wolverin's ear-
lier in the season in the NFCA Leadoff
Classic. Arizona State will compete
against Central Michigan at I 1 a.m. on
Thursdav.
No. 4 Central Michigan: The
Wolverines are very familiar with the
Chippewas. Central Michigan ended
the longest unbeaten streak in
Michigan softball history earlier this
season. Last time they traveled to Ann
Arbor for a regional they took
Michigan to two championship games
before being eliminated.
No. 5 Notre Dame: Their first ever
Big East championship capped off an
undefeated regular season for the
Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is led by
sophomore pitcher Jennifer Sharron
who has been named Big East pitcher
of the year for the following two sea-
sons.
No. 6 Florida Atlantic: Florida
Atlantic will head to Michigan on the
heels of a Trans America Athletic
Conference Championship. With a 47-
18 record Florida Atlantie will face the
Wolverines on Thursday at 4 p.m. in
the first round of the tournament. The
two teams competed earlier in the sea-
son in the Speedline Invitational, with
the Wolverines coming out ott top 4-1.
Region VI 1Michigan
2Nebraska
Region I
1 UCLA
2 Missouri
3 Minnesota
4 Creighton
5 Cal St.
Northridge
6 Alabama
Region II
1 Arizona
2 Kansas
3 Maryland
4 SW Texas
5 SE Mo. St.
6 E. Carolina
Region III
1 Washington
2 Hawaii
3 Tennessee
4 Cal St.
Fullerton
3) Arizona St.
4) Central Mich.
5 Texas A&M
6 Colgate
Region IV
1 Fresno State
2 South
Carolina
3 Stanford
4 Pacific
5 Texas Tech
6 Florida A&M
Region V
1 LSU
t
5) Notre Dame
6 Florida Atlantic
2 Oklahoma
3 Oregon St.
4 Southern
Miss.
5 Long Beach St.
6 Southern
Region VII
1 SW Louisiana
2 Mass.
3 California
4 Hofstra
5 LI-Brooklyn
6 Manhattan
Region VIII
1 Texas
2 Depaul
3 Illinois-
Chicago
4 Oregon
5 Michigan St.
6 Cornell
ICH I.LF S'.1 f i .:,i
rew makes case for
selection committee
By Emily Achenbaum
Daily Sports Writer
Just in the nick of' time, the
Miclhiga rowing team stole the
spotlight it needed.
Wtlit ihe CAA NCn _
Iec on Committe tttxtxit F
txxtsitp xxN tcx elfi
cxx thxc \'xcxlsccrings t a mjor
races, Michigaah th c runtcat s y.
ajorsicutivy? yar. enswe.
1aidthe Wolverines rxe txay "be
'cpei x it 1th Ix xCe xxx Fv
wphitsh olMerine hak to pouke
"de Ien to te Centxx S i
tnoi g Nt A sco a ra e t
vtnd xxxx the test va'rsix four
teces, Mxcigaxt nabbcd thxe cruxial
ftrst varsty pgc It c t fg hthi
ond co haeutipve yeatw
Mtchigxn coach Matk Roxixford
satd the Wolverines rowei the best
races to date in each event."
And txe very best was exactly
vhat the Wolverines iad to produce-
"We werx into the Cextral Sprints
knoxing it would be a race to the
O ish." said hnigor Nora Obrixger, a
provber of the team's varsity four
boat. "First place was a fight."
After a disappoininxg finish ax thxe
Midwest Clvatmpiotxships two wceeks
ago, the Wolverites slipped fromo a
national raxxking of No. 6 to No. 9.
They knew thxey weoutd hxave to
cdemolishx their coxmpexixixx ax thxe
Central Sprints.
The Nxx 1 spot xx thxe regixx xxas
* ady secured by p'exixxnil 'ixampt
Virginia, w ho xix Wolv rixtes Paced
ontee itt M'areh. Mi 'ig' n lhxd to
prove that it xw's onxc of the fastest
tas xn the n atiort. despite its
Inconsistent performances o er
course of its scasonx.
Ac'cordinc to Rotxlord. "res
from all schxols have becex ixxco
tent. It's xxxyodcv's xcxs xxi
the
Flts
Our.Results
Speak for Themselves
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~Oying~ 0\'2 550) peopr e at ur Ann Arbor head-
ies Fi) <dd exiNinFgj' opo i tiF wit ec 13I'w
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to big1hirenir1 tamt
dilra adtertisina epamnt
would l to tan aft oxthe
businesses who have donated
mnerchandise over the pastyear.
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0 ilk Viti yOu.
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