The Miami University RedHawks softball team won its fourth-straight Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship on May 10 with consecutive wins over the Ohio University Bobcats.
With their conference title, the RedHawks earned a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the NCAA Regionals. They first face the University of Tennessee Volunteers on May 16.
Head coach Mandy Gardner-Colegate received MAC Co-Captain of the Year, alongside Ohio’s Jenna Hall, during her first season in the conference. Senior infielder Chloe Parks and sophomore pitcher Madilyn Reeves were named All-MAC First Team.
The RedHawks entered the tournament with the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. They took to Firestone Stadium in Akron on May 8 against the Ball State University Cardinals. Following their 6-3 win, the RedHawks fell 5-2 to the Bobcats on May 9.
Later that afternoon, Miami’s 8-0 win in five innings over Ball State sent the team to a Battle of the Bricks rematch on May 10. The RedHawks took a decisive 6-0 win, thanks to three RBI’s from first-year infielder Holly Merritt.
Miami and Ohio faced each other once more on May 10. Despite trailing 2-1 after one inning, the RedHawks kept the Bobcats scoreless while adding seven points to their total, taking their win 8-2 for their fourth-straight MAC championship.
Senior outfielder Jenna Golembiewski, Parks and Merritt all brought in two RBIs, including one homerun from Golembiewski.
One day after their conference championship, the RedHawks learned they will return to Knoxville for the NCAA Regionals against the Volunteers, the Ohio State University Buckeyes and the University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels.
Miami also played in Knoxville during last year’s NCAA Regionals. The RedHawks lost 7-0 to the University of Virginia Cavaliers in their first game. Even with a win over the University of Dayton Flyers, Miami’s second loss to the Cavaliers sent the RedHawks home.
The Volunteers took the final win in Knoxville to progress to the Super Regionals, where they lost to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
This year, Miami will greet Tennessee once again alongside two new teams: the Buckeyes and the Tar Heels.
The RedHawks last faced the Volunteers in a doubleheader in 2021. They split the series 1-1, keeping the career record even at 2-2. In the only matchup against UNC in 2017, Miami led 7-2 going into the seventh inning. However, seven runs for the Tar Heels closed out the game and allowed them to complete their comeback, 8-7.
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Miami holds a 2-3-1 record against Ohio State. The two last met in 2022, when the RedHawks failed to rebound after the Buckeyes scored four runs in the third inning, ultimately losing 5-4.
The Buckeyes will prove to be a particularly interesting matchup, as the RedHawks will meet their former head coach Kirin Kumar. Kumar took the head coaching job at Ohio State following the 2024 season.
For the RedHawks, the success of the regular season and conference championship sets them up to make program history by advancing to the Super Regionals – something that Miami has never done before.
The team opens up NCAA play against Tennessee on May 16 at 1:30 p.m.
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