UW-Eau Claire women’s softball wins WIAC title
The Blugolds vanquish the season champions La Crosse and set a course for the NCAA Tournament
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UW-Eau Claire crowned WIAC tournament champions
The UW-Eau Claire women’s softball team hosted their last regular home game of the season on May 3.
The Blugolds’ subsequent loss against UW-Whitewater secured them a spot in the upcoming Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament.
At the WIAC tournament on May 7, the UW-Eau Claire women’s softball team competed against UW-La Crosse where they managed to surpass the Eagles 9-3 and advance to the WIAC Championship game.
Shaelyn Talley, a third-year outfielder, said that winning the WIAC championship game was the highlight of the season.
“It was such an unbelievable and exciting experience that I can now cherish for the rest of my life,” Talley said.
Following UW-Eau Claire’s victory, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater competed against one another for the chance to advance and face the UW-River Falls Eagles.
The victor of that game advanced to the championship round against UW-Eau Claire.
Jackie Carlucci, fourth-year pitcher, said that her experience on this team has taught her many valuable lessons particularly when it comes to handling an injury.
“This season has taught me a lot about resilience,” she said. “I had to remind myself this program is bigger than me and I needed to continue being a leader on the team.”
The double-elimination championship game was hosted in the morning on Sunday, May 8. The Blugolds, yet to be defeated in the WIAC tournament, faced the Eagles for the second time.
According to Blugold Athletics, UW-Eau Claire defeated UW-River Falls 8-7 and “accomplished it in dramatic fashion, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off win.”
As the WIAC champions, UW-Eau Claire has secured their bid to compete at the NCAA Division III Softball Regional this weekend.
The event will take place in Indiana at 3:30 p.m on Friday, May 13, where the Blugolds (26-9) will face their host, Trine University (27-11).
This will be the Blugolds’ first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019.
“This season has taught me that no one moment is going to change you forever, but the people around you that you spend those moments with will,” Talley said, “Each moment is finite — I’ll have these girls with me forever.”
Hinrichs can be reached at [email protected].
Allison Hinrichs is a third-year journalism and multimedia communication student. This is her fourth semester at The Spectator. Allison loves being outdoors and anything that gives her an adrenaline rush. She loves hiking, rock climbing, snowboarding and photography.