ORLANDO – For the fifth consecutive season, the UCF softball team has heard its name called on selection Sunday.
As the program earns its 12th NCAA Tournament berth overall, a bit of history will accompany its ticket to the dance, as the Knights will make an out-of-state NCAA regional appearance for the first time, traveling to Austin, Texas and the No. 6 national seed Texas Longhorns’ Red & Charline McCombs Field.
Accompanying UCF to the home of the Knights’ former Big 12 Conference mates will be the Big Ten Tournament Champion Michigan Wolverines and the Eastern Illinois Panthers, winners of the OVC Tournament’s automatic bid.
The Wolverines represent a familiar postseason opponent for the Black and Gold, as the Knights clinched the first NCAA Super Regional appearance in program history with a pair of wins over Michigan at the UCF Softball Complex in the 2022 Orlando Regional.
UCF most recently matched up with the Longhorns in Texas’ final season as members of the Big 12 Conference in 2024, playing a trio of hard-fought contests at home that saw the Black and Gold yield just 12 runs in the three-game set.
The Knights have never faced Eastern Illinois.
First pitch for UCF’s postseason-opener against the Michigan Wolverines in Austin, Texas is set for 2 p.m. ET Friday, May 16, and will broadcast live on ESPN2.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF softball on X (@UCF_Softball), Instagram (@UCF.Softball) and Facebook (/UCFSoftball).
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite teams by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android devices. The app provides personalized information for men’s and women’s teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and breaking news. Click here to download the app now.