When the University of Louisiana softball coaches start rounding up information on North Carolina State, their opponent in the first round of this weekend's NCAA Tournament, it might not be easy.

Sure, they can get information on this year's 49-19 Wolfpack team that won the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 14-6 record, and then won the league tournament with a 4-1 victory over perennial ACC power Florida State on Sunday.

But there won't be a lot of tradition to look at ... long-time trends in performance. While the Ragin' Cajuns are a perennial postseason team, and will make their 16th NCAA appearance in 17 years this weekend in Baton Rouge, N.C. State has never played in the NCAA Tournament.

Of course, the Wolfpack has only had a softball program for three years.

That's what made this year's run even more remarkable. N. C. State went 32-27 in its first year in 2004 and finished 41-25 last year, but both years the Wolfpack struggled in ACC play against the likes of FSU. The Seminoles had won 10 of the first 14 ACC Tournament titles entering the weekend and have been a consistent opponent of the Cajuns in postseason play.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com