Arizona Selected to Fayetteville Regional
TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Softball will begin its NCAA Tournament journey in Arkansas, where it will compete in the Fayetteville Regional, along with the host No. 12 seed Razorbacks, Villanova and Southeast Missouri State. Arizona opens the regional against Villanova on Friday at 3 MST on EPSN+.
The Wildcats' postseason appearance marks Arizona's 36th selection all-time and is the 16th time Arizona will hit the road for NCAA Regionals. In 2022, the Wildcats went to the Columbia Regional hosted by Missouri and advanced to the Women's College World Series for the 25th time in program history.
The Cats open the regional on Friday, May 17 vs. Villanova, an at-large selection from the Big East. The Villanova Wildcats went 31-22 (19-5 Big East) in 2023.
The Wildcats are heading into the NCAA Tournament with a 34-16-1 (13-11 Pac-12) record. Arizona has one of the most dominant offenses in the nation which is ranked 12th in batting average (.330) and 19th in home runs (65). In the Pac-12, Arizona is first in batting average, hits (457), RBI (297), and runs scored (322). Freshman centerfielder Regan Shockey leads the Wildcats and ranks third in the Pac-12 with a .413 batting average. She also leads the team and the conference with 76 hits. Her 76 hits is second among all NCAA freshmen and her batting average ranks fourth among NCAA freshmen.
The Wildcats also boast one of the best defenses in the nation that leads the Pac-12 and is ranked second in the NCAA with a .982 overall fielding percentage, currently the second-best fielding percentage by an Arizona team in program history. The Wildcats have four players who have a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and placed four players on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team, the only team in the conference with multiple honorees. Shortstop Tayler Biehl was named the Pac-12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first baseman Carlie Scupin has recorded 1,128 career putouts which ranks 10th in Arizona history.
Arizona has advanced out of 32 of the 35 regionals since 1987 and owns an 101-12 record in the round overall. Arizona has advanced to the super regional round in 16 of the 17 seasons since they began in 2005.