After winning the Conference USA tournament, the Blue Raiders on Sunday learned they are headed to Tuscaloosa for the NCAA regionals. Erik Bacharach, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
The MTSU softball team will continue its historic postseason run in Tuscaloosa.
MTSU (39-20) will play at No. 12 Alabama (33-18) on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT in an NCAA regional. Wisconsin (28-21) and Oregon State (28-26) are the other two teams in the Tuscaloosa regional.
The Blue Raiders learned their next destination Sunday night, when they gathered at the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame building on MTSU's campus to watch the NCAA tournament selection show on ESPN2.
The watch party, open to the public, drew about 100 fans, all of whom erupted when MTSU's matchup was revealed.
"I said the other day that the biggest day of my coaching career was winning the conference tournament," MTSU coach Jeff Breeden said. "Well, now it's going to be we're going to go down there to Alabama and try to win a game in the NCAA tournament. So it's huge. Words can't describe it."
The NCAA regionals will be held Friday through Sunday, with 16 campus sites hosting a four-team, double-elimination tournament.
The winners will advance to the super regionals from May 24-27, the last stage before the College World Series from May 31-June 6.
Alabama will be hosting its 14th straight regional.
"We're going to make them know who Middle Tennessee State softball is," senior Precious Birdsong said.
The Blue Raiders advanced to their second NCAA tournament in program history by winning five straight games at the Conference USA tournament in Charlotte.
"So going into this week, there was just a calmness over our team," senior Morgan Harris said. "It wasn't anything forced. We weren't doing anything extra. We were just having fun."
MTSU, the tournament’s sixth seed, knocked off No. 1 FAU in both the semifinal round and championship game to claim its first Conference USA title.
The Blue Raiders had last won a league title in 2000 when they were a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. They became the lowest seed to ever win a C-USA title.
"It's pretty convenient to call you guys Cinderella, but I don't think you're Cinderella at all. I think you guys deserve every bit of this," MTSU athletic director Chris Massaro told the team before the selection show. "You guys are champions, and you're the best team in the conference."
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About 11 hours after their title-clinching win, the Blue Raiders received a police escort back to campus. About 30 fans with signs and balloons greeted them at the MTSU softball field upon their arrival.
"We've worked so hard for this all season long," Birdsong said. "We've literally put blood, sweat and tears into this program, into making this actually happen."