MEDFORD, MA (May 20, 2024) - Two of the most successful programs in Division III softball history will meet in a NCAA Tournament Super Regional this week as #17 Tufts University travels to #5 Salisbury University for games on Thursday and Friday (May 23-24).
Tournament Details
NCAA Salisbury, MD Super Regional Website
Dates: Thursday-Friday, May 23-24, 2024
Location: Salisbury, MD - Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium
Live Coverage:
LIVE STATS -
LIVE VIDEO
The teams will play a best-of-three series at Salisbury's Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium. Game 1 is Thursday at 2:00 PM, Game 2 is on Friday at 1:00 PM and an if-necessary Game 3 would be played on Friday at 3:30 PM. The winner of the series will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals May 30 through June 5 at Bell Park at Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas.
The Jumbos (36-8) hosted and won a NCAA Regional at Spicer Field last week to move on to the Supers. Head coach
Lauren Ebstein's team won twice against the University of Rochester on the final day to win the regional title. The Sea Gulls (39-5), coached by Lacey Lord, also hosted and won their Regional with a 3-0 record capped by 4-3 win against Randolph-Macon College in the finals.
Entering the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Tufts had the eighth-most victories in tournament history and their 4-1 record at the Regional improved the Jumbos to a 79-38 overall record (.675 winning percentage) in NCAA Tournament play. The Jumbos are the only team in Division III history to win three consecutive national championships (2013-15). Salisbury entered NCAA's this season fourth all-time in tournament victories and currently sport a 98-53 NCAA mark (.649). Salisbury has four runner-up finishes, and has been third nationally three times, but the Sea Gulls are in search of their first NCAA championship.
Tufts won its 2014 NCAA title in Tyler, Texas by taking two of three games over Salisbury in the final series. The Sea Gulls won the first game 2-1, but the Jumbos came back to win the Championship with a pair of 6-0 victories. That was the first season Coach Ebstein - a 2007 Tufts graduate - had returned to Tufts as an assistant coach. The Jumbos and Sea Gulls also played at the 2015 NCAA Finals with Tufts winning 3-0 as part of its 51-0 national championship season.
This is the fourth trip to the Super Regionals for the Jumbos. They advanced in 2014 at Bridgewater State - the first year of Super Regionals in Division III. They hosted and won against WPI in 2015, but lost a Super at WPI in 2022. Salisbury is in the Super Regional for the fifth time, and is hosting the round for the fifth time. They are undefeated in Super Regional play, advancing without losing in 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023.
Both of these teams lost in their conference tournaments - Tufts in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals and Salisbury in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference finals. However, they both rebounded in the NCAA Regionals and remain as two of the 16 teams still playing in Division III.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online. Gate opening and ticket sales will begin an hour before each of the scheduled game times. Ticket prices are $10 for General Admission, $7 for Senior Citizens/Children (5-12) and $3 for Students. Dogs and pets are not permitted within the facilityh. Use the following links to purchase tickets online:
THURSDAY TICKETS
FRIDAY TICKETS
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