For the first time in its 28-year history, the women's
softball team has been invited to the NCAA Division III National Championship
Tournament. The 23-5 Dutchwomen are
seeded second in the East Region and will play Friday afternoon at Cortland,
which received the No.1 seed and will host the double elimination event.
Sixth-year head
coach Peter Brown has guided the team to an overall record of 126-70-1.
This year's team has won 18 of its last 19 contests and is 17-1 since returning
from its annual spring trip to Ft. Meyers, Florida.
“This is quite an achievement for this team,” said Brown, “Especially since we are so young.”
This is the third Union women's team to qualify for an NCAA tournament
this year. Last fall the soccer team made its fourth consecutive trip to
the national tournament while the volleyball team received its first invitation.
Also, this spring, senior thrower Justin Sievert won the state track championship in the shot put with an
NCAA-qualifying throw of 16.63 meters. Sievert also won the state
championship in the discus with an NCAA qualifying throw of 48.14. He was
named the meet's most outstanding male field athlete.
Also, junior Sean
Washington won the state championship in the 100-meter dash with an ECAC qualifying
time of 11.07. He finished 9th in the 200 with a 23:11. He earned All-American honors at the
national indoor meet in March.