ICYMI: Gamecock softball heading back to NCAA Tournament

COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the fifth-straight year under head coach Beverly Smith, South Carolina has made the NCAA Tournament, this season heading to the Tucson Regional to play Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday at 7 p.m. EDT at Hillenbrand Stadium.

South Carolina, 32-23 in the regular season, has eight wins over top-25 teams in both major polls this year, the most recorded under head coach Beverly Smith. This senior class, which has won 30-or-more games in each of its four years, makes its first NCAA Regional not in Tallahassee.

The Gamecocks take on the Northeast Conference champs Saint Francis, who went 48-9 this season. Game times and ticket information for the Tucson Regional will be announced by Arizona. The Wildcats, the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament, plays New Mexico State on the

This is South Carolina’s 20th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. This is second-longest streak for NCAA Tournament appearances in program history, one shy of matching the streak from 1999-2004.