May 12, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The field for the 2008 NCAA Softball Tournament, announced tonight by the NCAA selection committee, will include four teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, making this the fourth year in a row in which the ACC has been represented by at least half its participating institutions. Leading the way for the conference in this year's tournament will be league champion Virginia Tech, as well as North Carolina, Florida State and Georgia Tech.

The Hokies, ranked 17th in the latest national poll, will make their fourth appearance in a row this week when they travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on Louisville in the NCAA Regional round. Led by head coach Scot Thomas and ACC Pitcher of the Year Angela Tincher, Tech posted a 41-15 record during the regular season before cruising to a 3-0 record in the ACC Championship. Looking to improve upon a 3-6 all-time record in the NCAAs, Tech will face the Cardinals this Friday, May 16, at 2:30 p.m. Others in the Knoxville Regional are 13th seeded and host Tennessee and Winthrop.

Ranked 13th nationally, North Carolina will host BYU, Campbell and No. 15 seed Georgia in Regional play this weekend. The Tar Heels, sporting a record of 50-10-1 this season, will open against BYU on Thursday inside the University of North Carolina's Anderson Stadium. The appearance for UNC is the sixth in a row and seventh in the last eight years.

Also earning at-large bids in this year's national tournament were Florida State and Georgia Tech. The Seminoles will make their 21st showing in the NCAA Tournament under longtime head coach JoAnne Graf Thursday against Jacksonville State, while the Yellow Jackets will make their seventh-straight and first under head coach Sharon Perkins at top-seeded Florida on Friday.

The `Noles, who own the conference lead with 44 all-time wins in the NCAA Tournament and seven trips to the College World Series, were placed in the Tuscaloosa, Ala., Regional with No. 3 national seed Alabama and Chattanooga, along with Jacksonville State. Georgia Tech joins the No. 1 Gators, UCF and South Florida in the Gainesville Regional.