TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida A&M University Women’s Softball team (24-27) will make their fifth NCAA Regional appearance ever this Friday, and their second all-time in Gainesville, Florida as they face the #5 seeded University of Florida Gators (45-11) in the Gainesville Regional at Gainesville, Florida.
FAMU previously appeared in the 2009 Gainesville Regional, facing Florida and Lehigh.
Also in the four-team, All-Florida double elimination field at Gainesville will be Stetson University (38-12) from DeLand, which will face Orlando-based UCF (41-16) in the other opening round game on Friday.
The Lady Rattlers have faced two of the teams in this regional in 2014, falling 9-0 to Florida in Gainesville on April 11, and dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 decision at UCF on February 15.
FAMU POSTSEASON HISTORY BRIEF
All-time, FAMU has made seven previous postseason softball appearances, three in best-of-three play-in series in 1995, 1997 and 1998, before making their first regional draw when the national field expanded to 64 teams in 1999.
That 1999 regional was the West Regional in Fresno, California, but the more recent trips have been much closer to home: at Auburn, Ala. (2005), Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2006) and Gainesville, Fla. (2009, 2014).
HOW THEY GOT THERE
The Lady Rattlers are fresh off a four-game sweep at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament in Ormond Beach, Florida, where they posted 1-0 wins over Norfolk State and Delaware State on Thursday, before defeating archrival Bethune-Cookman, 5-1 Friday to reach Saturday’s title round, where they rallied to beat B-CU, 4-2, for their 10th MEAC title since 1993, and their fourth in the 2000s (2005, 2006, 2009, 2014).
FAMU 2014 AT A GLANCE
Saturday’s title win was the 650th career victory for head coach Veronica Wiggins, who is in her 23rd season as FAMU Softball coach.
The 2014 FAMU squad features eight freshmen, many of whom played key roles in the title sweep, headed by tournament MVP Kenya Pereira (9-8, 3.07 ERA, 63 Ks in 123.0 IP)), who was a dominating pitcher in the tourney, going 4-0, striking out 17 batters while allowing just two earned runs in 26 1/3 innings; Miesha McBride (.272, 6 doubles, 2 HRs, 14 RBIs), whose second inning solo homer Saturday keyed a four-run rally for FAMU; first-team All-MEAC utility player Amber Fullwood (.315, 10 doubles, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs; 4-8 as a pitcher); catcher Denise Anderson (.298, 5 HRs, 30 RBIs), along with speedy outfielders Whitney Farris (.340, 14 stolen bases) and Tashayla Irvis (.232, 11 stolen bases).
Veterans have also played key roles in FAMU’s championship season, headed junior shortstop Kieffi Myrick (.295, 4 HRs, 5 doubles, 23 RBIs, 17 stolen bases); senior outfielder Christina Robbs (.277, 14 stolen bases); junior Alyssa Weaver (.248, 30 runs scored, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 15 RBIs); senior Brielle Gordon (.263, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 16 RBIs), and senior pitcher Ashleigh Minter (11-11, 3.42 ERA, 53 Ks in 120 2/3 innings, with 2 saves).