Despite a 3-1 loss to East Carolina in the Conference USA Championship game in Houston on Saturday, the UCF softball team earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Knights last played in the postseason back in 2008.

The UCF softball team earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

UCF (35-21) meets up with Florida International (35-21) in the opening round of the Gainesville Regional at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21. The No. 4 overall seed Florida Gators (43-8) take on Bethune-Cookman (32-22) afterwards at 6 p.m. in the four-team bracket, which follows a double-elimination format.

The two winners play on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by the losers at 3:30 p.m. The loser of Saturday’s first game and the winner of the second game will battle for the last spot at 6 p.m. with the final two teams remaining returning to the field on Sunday at 1 p.m. and at 3:30 p.m., if necessary.

The Knights join the ECU Pirates and UAB as C-USA representatives in this year’s tournament.

“In eighteen years of coaching, this is the first time I have had a team earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament,” head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said.  “It is so great to see C-USA being recognized as a strong Division I conference by having three teams make the tournament.”

It’s the first time in UCF’s nine-year history that they’ve earned an at-large bid and the third time in their past three tournament appearances that the Knights will be playing at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium in Gainesville. Overall, UCF is 4-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and have faced Florida four times in the postseason.

The 2008 Knights C-USA Championship team, which defeated Houston in Texas to advance to the field of 64, went 3-2 in regional play that year by defeating USF, Georgia Tech and then-No. 1 Florida, but were eventually eliminated by the Gators in the regional final.

UCF has faced 12 teams this year who have qualified for the postseason and managed to come away with wins on six different occasions. Among the teams in this year’s tournament who the Knights have squared off against are No. 1 Alabama, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Georgia Tech and No. 15 Tennessee.

The regional winners will advance to super regional competition for a best-of-three series May 28-29 at eight different campus sites.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –