Everybody loves watching the reaction of bubble teams during the March Madness Selection Show when they’re announced to get into the field of 68 each March. But, that same joy extends to all of the other NCAA sports when at-large bids are announced.
For Penn State softball, selection Sunday has resulted in disappointment lately. The program, which hasn’t gone dancing since 2011, was among the first few teams left out of the 64-team field in 2022 and 2023.
But, on Sunday, they were actually one of the last teams IN the field of 64, just sneaking into the tournament. And, their reaction was incredibly wholesome. Take a look.
Can confirm, we did in fact go to the Creamery🍦#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/gNm9AAGwEs
— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) May 13, 2024
If you listen to the clip, you can hear longtime ESPN anchor Beth Mowins, I believe, telling the team to get over to the creamery. If you know anything about Penn State, you know that the famous Berkey Creamery on campus serves up some of the best ice cream you can find anywhere, and is a true tourist destination for those that make the pilgrimage to State College to watch the Nittany Lions or a visiting team play in any sport.
This year, the Nittany Lions went 34-18 overall, but just 12-11 in Big Ten Conference play. The team’s excellent non-conference play helped them overcome a poor finish to the season to finally get back to the NCAA Tournament.
They feature one of the most exciting pitchers in the country in freshman Bridget Nemeth. She sports a 2.2 ERA and a 22-8 record on the year, earning her Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
The NCAA Division I Softball Tournament is split into sixteen regionals, with the top sixteen seeds all hosting. There, the four teams in each region play a true double-elimination tournament. The winner of the regional advances to a super regional to play the winner of the regional with the corresponding seed. For example, if things go chalk, the number-one overall seed would play the sixteenth-overall seed in a best-of-three super-egional at home. The winner of the sub-regional goes to the eight-team, modified double-elimination Women’s College World Series played annually in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Penn State’s region includes #16 Texas A&M hosting, alongside Texas State, and the University of Albany. Penn State will play Texas State in the first round on Friday at 4PM ET.
Penn State was swept in a three-game set by the Bobcats in San Marcos earlier this season. But, Nemeth was unavailable to pitch for the entirety of the series. That is certainly something to keep an eye on.
The top-overall seed is the Texas Longhorns, dethroning perennial top-seed Oklahoma this year.
The Nittany Lions, coached by Clarissa Crowell, will be looking for their first-ever super-regional appearance.