NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional Press Quotes
5/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 2015 NCAA Tuscaloosa Softball Regional held its media and practice day Thursday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium. Quotes from the press conferences are below:
NCAA Softball Tuscaloosa Regional Press Conference Quotes Thursday May 14, 2015
Alabama
Head Coach Patrick Murphy: "It is unbelievable. It is the seventeenth time we are in a regional, and the eleventh that we have hosted. But to be here for eleven years in a row is unreal. We are excited about it. I think this is one of the toughest roads we've ever had to go through. Major respect for the three other schools. I've known Julie a little bit from Fairfield, seen her at the conventions, stuff like that. I've emailed with her. It's the first time we have ever played them. With USC Upstate, they're like another SEC school to us. This is three times in a row for them here at Regionals. And then Washington, I'm very, very happy that they're here. Heather [Tarr] is one of the only two PAC 12 schools that when we wanted to play, she said absolutely and she said we'll do home or away. I know the year that they came here, we were number one in one poll and they were number one in another poll. It was an unbelievable atmosphere. And then we got to go to Seattle the next year and had just a great trip out there. But to have the PAC 12 here is just really exciting for us."
Outfielder Haylie McCleney: "Obviously we are really thankful to be in this position that we are. To host a regional is something that we never want to take for granted as a university. We have prepared all week for three really good teams. Washington has obviously come out of the PAC 12 and we've seen what their offense can do and what they can throw at you pitching wise. With Upstate, they've been here three years in a row and we are really familiar with them. They are just like playing another SEC school, like Coach Murphy said. With Fairfield, they are going to come out with nothing to lose. This is their first NCAA appearance and we are really excited to have them here. So, it's going to be a fun weekend, for sure."
Pitcher Alexis Osorio: "I think it will be a fun weekend, to finally host a regional. And coming in as a freshman, it's a great opportunity and quite an experience. The other three schools that are here, Washington, Fairfield, and USC Upstate, they are all three really good schools and it is a great opportunity for all of us to see them. As a freshman, I've never seen either one of the schools, so I think it will be a great experience."
USC Upstate
Head Coach Chris Hawkins: "I hope three times is a charm. I've been to this nice place three times in a row. I enjoy coming here. We are very relaxed and familiar coming here now. We know where all your nice restaurants are, we know where the hotels are and how to get here. We're ready to get practicing today and do what we do like we've done all year. I've got a very veteran group, eight seniors actually start and being here twice and getting that experience two years in a row should put us in a little bit better of an opportunity to go a little farther this year and we are looking forward to it."
Pitcher Lexi Shubert: "We're really excited to be back here. This is my second year, I'm just a sophomore, but for our seniors it is their third year and we know it's good competition every time we come here. The three teams that are here are all good and we're looking forward to opening up with Washington tomorrow."
Outfielder/Catcher Shellie Robinson: "We're really excited to be back. Like Lexi said, it is our third time, so third time's a charm is what we're hoping for. We are very excited to play a very good Washington team and hopefully make it to Bama again and see if we can get some `W's."
Washington
Head Coach Heather Tarr: "We're just happy to be here in Alabama. We've trained all year to have an opportunity to make the NCAA tournament and I'm really proud of our team for achieving that. We're just here to play our game and represent the PAC 12 conference and the University of Washington."
Centerfielder Kylee Lahners: "Like Coach Tarr said, we are super excited to be here. We're just going to take it one game at a time and play Husky softball and stay together as a tribe."
Shortstop Ali Aguilar: "I just know that me and my teammates, we're all really excited to be here. We weren't really guaranteed, but we got the opportunity so we are really excited to come out and compete."
Fairfield
Head Coach Julie Brzezinski: "We are extremely excited to be here in Tuscaloosa. When we were watching the selection show we were hoping to come to Alabama and play because we knew that we're going to get the utmost experience, the best crowds and the best atmosphere we could hope for."
Outfielder Lauren Filicia: "It's been our goal all season long to make it to regionals. When we found out we were playing Alabama, we were really excited. We saw at practice today, the sign that says they have the best fans in the country, so that is pretty awesome and we are just really excited."
Infielder Sam Frungillo: "It is just a dream come true, especially to do it my senior year. We all watch Alabama on TV and to get to live it is just a really exciting experience."
