With the 50th anniversary of Title IX's passage this Thursday, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will be posting daily to recognize the outstanding student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have exemplified Title IX's promise.

The 2005 Bethune-Cookman softball program made history on mulitple fronts; after going 16-0 in MEAC play, becoming the third program in conference history to go undefeated in league action, the Wildcats were upset in the conference tournament by eventual champion -- and in-state rival -- Florida A&M. But whereas the Rattlers earned the MEAC's automatic NCAA bid, Bethune-Cookman earned an at-large -- becoming the first MEAC program to do so.

From there, the Wildcats defeated South Florida, Central Florida and Florida in the Gainesville Region to become the first MEAC softball program to win an NCAA regional. Bethune-Cookman then traveled to Austin, Texas for the Super Regional against Texas -- falling 1-0 and 6-1 against a nationally-ranked Longhorns squad that included Cat Osterman.

The Wildcats, who that season boasted the Player of the Year in Amber Jackson and the Coach of the Year in Laura Watten -- and also had MEAC Hall of Famer Lauren McCoy in the circle -- ended the 2005 season ranked No. 18 in the final NFCA/USA Today Coaches poll and No. 23 in the USA Softball/ESPN.com poll.

It was the first national ranking ever for a MEAC softball program.