Michigan Earns NCAA's No. 1 Seed, Will Host Regional
5/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan softball team learned it is also the No. 1 overall seed for the 2005 NCAA Tournament as announced this evening (Sunday, May 15) on ESPNews. The Wolverines (55-4) are one of 16 schools hosting a four-team NCAA Regional tournament with the action taking place Friday through Sunday (May 20-22) at Alumni Field.
Michigan is joined by regional No. 2 seed Seton Hall, No. 3 seed North Carolina and No. 4 seed Canisius in the double-elimination event, with the tournament winner earning the right to advance to an NCAA Super Regional the following weekend (May 27-28).
Michigans opens regional play vs. Canisius in game two of the tournament on Friday (May 20, 7 p.m.). Seton Hall and North Carolina face off in game one at 4:30 p.m.
"We've done a good job all season of just focusing on our next game," noted Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. "We play Canisius on Friday and we're in the same position as the other 63 teams in the sense that we have at least two games left. Obviously, we are happy to be hosting and it's time to get ready for a quality opponent in Canisius. You know every team you face this time of year has earned the right to be here and they played us very tough last year."
Michigan is making its 11th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first as the tournament's No. 1 overall seed. The Maize and Blue spent the last eight weeks of the regular season as No. 1-ranked team in the country and takes a 55-4 overall record into NCAA play.
Michigan has made 13 total NCAA Tournament appearances and is playing host to a regional for the fourth straight season and 11th time overall. The Wolverines hosted NCAA Regional 6 last season as the No. 1 seed, beating No. 3 seed Oregon State 5-2 in the championship game to earn their seventh Women's College World Series appearance in 10 years.
The winner of the regional in Ann Arbor will move on to a Super Regional the following weekend (May 27-28) against the winner of the regional being hosted by Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. That regional consists of the tournament's No. 16 overall seed Washington, Iowa, Nebraska and Creighton. The Super Regional is a best two-of-three format with the winner advancing to the eight-team WCWS June 2-8 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Michigan is one of five Big Ten Conference teams to make the 64-team field, joining Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State. Michigan won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
