May 12, 2013
NCAA Bracket
STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford softball team received an at-large bid to the 2013 NCAA Championship today. The Cardinal (37-19) will begin play on the road in the Lincoln Regional, May 17-19.
The Cardinal opens the tournament against Tulsa (42-14), while host Nebraska (40-13), the No. 14 overall seed, will square off against Northern Iowa (26-24) at Bowlin Stadium beginning Friday, May 17.
Stanford will be participating in the tournament for the 16th consecutive year, dating back to 1998 when the team made its first postseason appearance in John Rittman's second year as head coach. The Cardinal has won seven regional titles, and made appearances in the Women's College World Series in 2001 and 2004.
Four teams will participate at each of the 16 regional sites in a double-elimination tournament. The regional winners will face off in the May 23-26 Super Regionals, with eight teams advancing to the 2013 WCWS at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, May 30- June 5.
Stanford wrapped up the regular season Saturday with a 37-19 overall record and a fourth-place finish in the Pac-12 with a 13-11 conference mark.
Stanford is 2-0 all-time versus Tulsa and 5-4 against Nebraska. The Cardinal and Northern Iowa would play in the first meeting between the two programs should they face off at the Regional.
Oklahoma, the 2013 Big 12 champion, was named the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament. Eight of the nine Pac-12 schools qualified for the postseason. Should Stanford advance the team would travel to the winner of the Eugene Regional in a Super Regional, which includes No. 3 overall seed Oregon, BYU, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
Stanford is 10-5 at a neutral site this season and 7-8 on the road. The Cardinal is 16-14 against the 2013 tournament field.