The RoundHouse | 5/15/2023 3:59:00 PM

 
By Paul Suellentrop
 
Wichita State softball earned a second straight at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, an outcome that seemed in place in February and locked up by mid-March. To prove their confidence, the Shockers held a public watch party on campus for Sunday's selection show with no worries about omission from the field.
 
That timeline makes the accomplishment seem easier than it is.
 
Wichita State is the only school outside the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pacific-12 and Big 10 conferences to earn one of 32 at-large spots the past two seasons. In 2022, the Shockers grabbed one of two at-large spots from the other 27 conferences. On Sunday, they joined a group of five teams from conferences outside of what is commonly known as "Power 5" schools.
 
Wichita State (43-10) will take that at-large spot to the NCAA regional in Stillwater, Okla., where it faces Nebraska (34-20) at 6 p.m. Friday (ESPNU) at Cowgirl Stadium. Oklahoma State (41-14), the No. 6 national seed, and UMBC (26-15) complete the field. The winner of the double-elimination regional advances to a super regional May 25-28.
 
"We've worked hard all year for one goal, and this is it," first baseman Zoe Jones said. "More goals to come now that we've accomplished this one."
 
 While the Shockers preferred to win the American Athletic Conference's automatic bid, building the RPI to No. 23 in the NCAA rankings is a strong statement about the program's position. In 2021, the Shockers started this stretch of three straight regionals when they won the conference's automatic bid with an RPI ranked No. 24.
 
"We've done a good job scheduling and making sure we set ourselves up to have a good RPI," coach Kristi Bredbenner said. "You don't want to put all your eggs in the basket of winning the conference tournament. It's a testament that we have some kids who have continued to grow and develop."
 
The Shockers swept Oklahoma State (No. 5 in the RPI) this season and added wins over No. 14 Arkansas (also a host), No. 39 Nebraska and a split over at-large selection Texas State. They won the season series with AAC tournament champion UCF 2-1 in Orlando.
 
The Shockers also played in NCAA regionals in 2016 and 2018 (also with an at-large bid), so this age group knows the program as one that regularly qualifies for NCAA play.
 
In 2016, the Shockers defeated Tulsa to win their first NCAA game. In 2018, they defeated Oklahoma State twice before falling to host Arkansas to reach the regional championship round for the first time. In 2021, Wichita State defeated Texas A&M twice and lost to eventual NCAA champion Oklahoma in Norman. Last season, the Shockers returned to Fayetteville and lost twice to Oregon and defeated Princeton.
 
"It says that we've put in the work," shortstop Sydney McKinney said. "We've done a good job of being consistent. It's paid off."
 
 

Put on your dancing s̶h̶o̶e̶s̶ boots, it's time to go to work.@NCAASoftball x #SelectionSunday pic.twitter.com/XVWteWFb7D

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 14, 2023

 
 
The Shockers head to Stillwater knowing they enjoy a chance to advance to a super regional for the first time in program history, based on their two wins over Oklahoma State and Nebraska. Emerging from a late season hitting slump is the priority this week. The Shockers have scored four runs in the past four games, including a 1-0 loss at Kansas and a 2-1 loss to Tulsa.
 
"We've got to wake up our bats," Bredbenner said. "We're going to have to refocus a little bit. More than anything, you've got to take the things that you did well and continue to keep working on them."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.