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 xS drv Vst bec' thei lede 1 n wholesalc ~Oying~ 0\'2 550) peopr e at ur Ann Arbor head- ies Fi)