VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
VIDEO: Carmen Holt Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the 21st time in school history, Carson-Newman softball is headed into postseason play.
The Eagles will make their 17th foray into NCAA tournament play and their 21st overall when they head to Wingate, N.C. for a third time in five weeks to open up the Southeast Regional against third-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne on Thursday at the WU Softball Complex.
"We're obviously excited," Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves said. "This was one of our goals at the beginning of the year. We're thrilled to be here and excited to see where it goes for us."
Carson-Newman has won a game in three of its last five trips to regionals. The Eagles picked up wins over Augusta 6-3 in 2015, Georgia College 2-1 in 2018 and run-ruled Anderson 13-0 in 2019. Carson-Newman was two-and-out of the regional in 2017 and 2022.
The Eagles are looking for their second ever appearance Super Regional appearance and the first since 2009. Carson-Newman opened that 2009 tournament with a 6-5 win over USC Aiken before defeating the host Lenoir-Rhyne Bears twice, 6-4 and 2-1 before heading to top-ranked North Georgia, where the Eagles fell 6-3 and 1-0 to the Nighthawks.
Lenoir-Rhyne represents Carson-Newman's second-most frequent opponent. Heading into the 91st meeting all-time, the Eagles lead the all-time series 54-36. Carson-Newman last squared off with the Bears in the regionals in 2018 when LR eliminated C-N. Carson-Newman is 2-2 all-time in NCAA regional play against the Bears. Both wins came in 2009 en route to C-N's lone super regional appearance.
The other half of C-N's regional site features Wingate and Francis Marion. Carson-Newman and Wingate have faced off 94 times all-time, including in last year's regional. The Eagles lead the all-time series 57-36. Wingate beat C-N last year in postseason play 3-1. That is the lone regional meeting between the two schools.
Francis Marion has a narrow 6-5 lead on C-N in the schools' series history. The two teams haven't played since 2011. The Eagles won all three meetings against the Patriots that year FMU owns three regional wins over C-N, knocking the Eagles out of the 2010 regionals and handing the Eagles a 4-3 loss in 2008.
The other half of the regional bracket is set for Dahlonegah, Ga. at top-seeded North Georgia. The Nighthawks square off with King in the opening round, while Columbus State gets Lincoln Memorial.
Follow @CN_Eagles on Twitter for live updates of the games.
