DECATUR, Ala. – The 28th Annual NAIA Softball National Championship is being held at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex in Decatur, Ala. The 2008 tournament begins with pool play (20 teams) on May 16-17. Qualifying teams advance to the 8-team double-elimination Championship Bracket May 19-21.
Trevecca Nazarene University (50-6) will represent the TranSouth conference and Region XI at the championships. Trevecca, ranked No. 5 in the last regular season poll, received the fourth seed in the national tournament. This the third consecutive year for Trevecca to advance to the tournament.
Trevecca advanced through Pool D with a 3-1 record. Trevecca makes the Championship Bracket for the third consecutive year.
Trevecca secured a NAIA National Tournament berth with their No. 5 ranking in the final NAIA Softball Poll and additionally with the Region XI Tournament Championship. It's the second time in school history (59 in 2007) a Trojan softball team has won 50 games in a season.
Trevecca is led by Brittiany Johnson, a two-time All-American who has a .53 ERA on the season and has 350 strike outs over 240 innings pitched. In her three years at Trevecca Johnson has a career record (three years) of 113-21 record and 1,139 strike outs. Johnson has also been prolific with the bat with a .460 batting average, 23 runs scored, a school record 21 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and 58 RBI. Kacey Coonce has been spectacular at the plate with a .497 batting average, 64 runs scored, 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 61 RBI, and has been successful on 11 of 12 stolen base attempts. Another catalyst on offense has been centerfielder Chelsea Bailey. The junior has a .404 batting average, 60 runs scored, three doubles, three triples, two home runs, 23 RBI, and is 46 of 52 in stolen base attempts.
