MIAMI SOFTBALL

Miami  softball is headed back to Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fresh off winning their fourth straight Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament Saturday, the RedHawks gathered at Left Field Tavern in Oxford Sunday night to view the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. 
It took a while, but the players, coaches, families and fans eventually learned Miami will meet Tennessee in the Knoxville regional. 

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"It was a really exciteing feeling to have (our) name go up there and go back to a place we've been at before," senior infielder Chloe Parks said. 

"I'm really excited," Miami Head Coach Mandy Gardner-Colegate said. "I think its a . . . 

, , , challenging regional, but (its) definitely a region we can compete in. We've risen to the occasion multiple times this year, and we can do it again this weekend. ... We love a challenge." 

In addition to cheers accompanying the Knoxville and Tennessee announcement, another reaction followed when those assembled learned Ohio State was also in the Knoxville Regional. The Buckeyes are in their first year under new Head Coach Kirin Kumar. 

Kumar went to Columbus this year after building MU into a softball powerhouse, Several of her former players are key pieces on the 2025 RedHawks roster, so a MU vs OSU matchup would have a teacher/former pupils side story. 

Knoxville is a return destination for MU, which played in that city during last year's regional. The RedHawks lost to Virginia twice (7-0 and 6-0) but posted a win over Dayton (4-0) in between. 

Miami won two and lost two while participating in the 2023 Evansville (Northwestern) Regional. The RedHawks went 1-2 in 2022 and 0-2 in 2021.

ABOUT UT 
Gardner-Colegate pointed out the Knoxville regional is one of just a few regionals with three Power Four teams in it. In addition to Tennessee and Ohio State (43-12-1) and North Carolina (40-15). 

The Lady Vols are a No. 7 seed in the tournament and own a 40-14 record. Junior pitcher Karilyn Pickens was recently named Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season. She finished the season with a 20-7 record that included 18 complete games, six shutouts and 221 strikeouts in 167.1 innings. Pickens owns a 0.98 ERA and has held opponents to a .164 batting average. 
Infielder Taylor Pannell was also named to the First Team. She batted .414, scored 48 runs and recorded 60 RBIs. She has an on-base percentage of .516 and slugging percentage of .809. 

As a team, the Lady Vols ranked first among SEC teams in ERA (1.80). the next closes was Texas at 2.70,

Tennessee ranks 11th among 15 SEC teams in batting average (.302) . It is  seventh in slugging percentage (.511) and eighth in on-base percentage.

MORE TENNESSEE/SEC STATS: CLICK HERE