Luther Receives at-large bid to NCAA III National softball tournament
May 4, 2009
The NCAA announced this morning that Luther has received an at-large bid to the NCAA III National Softball Tournament. Fifty-nine teams qualified for the national tournament. The Norse will be traveling to Simpson College located in Indianola, Iowa and an eight-team first round bracket that will be held May 7-11.
Luther is making its tenth appearance in the national tournament and second under the direction of Head Coach Renae Hartl. In 2007, Luther hosted one of the eight NCAA III first round tournaments, after capturing the Iowa Conference regular season championship. During her eight seasons at the helm of the Norse program, she has posted a career record of 204-112, that includes three 30-plus winning seasons the past three years.
The eight teams that will play in the first round at Simpson include #1 University of St. Thomas (39-4), #2 Central College (36-6), #3 Washington University-St, Louis (24-11), #4 Wartburg College (36-6), #5 UW-La Crosse (34-10), #6 Luther College (33-9), #7 Gustavus Adolphus (35-7), and #8 Webster (23-16).
Luther will face Washington University in its first game of the double elimination tournament on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. These two teams have played each other just once. Washington University defeated Luther 5-0 in the championship bracket of day two of the 2007 first round tournament.
The other first game match-ups will be #8 Webster vs. #1 St. Thomas, #5 UW-La Crosse vs. #4 Wartburg, and #7 Gustavus Adolphus vs. #2 Central.
The Norse will enter the national tournament coming off a second place finish at the Iowa Conference tournament this past weekend. Luther's 33 wins is two shy of the single season school record that was set by the 2007 national tournament squad.
NCAA III Softball Championship - First Round web site.
