For the first time in program history, the Central Maine Community College softball team has earned a bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Assocation national tournament.
The Mustangs found out the good news Sunday during the USCAA Small College World Series Selection Show.
Central Maine earned the No. 5 seed in the 10-team tournament by way of an at-large bid. The Mustangs will face No. 4 Penn State-Schuylkill in their first game of the double-elimination tournament next Monday in DuBois, Pennsylvania.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
GASTONGUAY NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: St. Dominic Academy graduate Caroline Gastonguay was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year as a senior for Rollins College.
Gastonguay, who was also one of six Tars players to earn all-conference honors — she was named to the first team — scored 47 goals and added 30 assists this season. She ranked second in the conference in points per game, sixth in assists per game and ninth in goals per game.
“The SSC is the most competitive conference in Division II Women’s Lacrosse,” Rollins head coach Dennis Short said in a college press release announcing award. “To be named the best player in this conference is both an amazing and humbling honor when you consider all the other outstanding players in the SSC. I am so proud of and happy for Caroline.”
ST. JOE’S, COLBY EARN NCAA BERTHS: The St. Joseph’s women’s lacrosse team will play SUNY-Geneseo in the first round of the NCAA Division III women’s lacrosse tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.
The Monks earned a tournament berth by winning the Great Northeast Atlantic Conference championship with a 10-9 win over Johnson & Wales on Saturday. St. Joseph’s is 20-0 and making its second appearance in the NCAA tournament. They also reached the tournament in 2015, losing to Bridgewater State 16-9 in the first round.
SUNY-Geneseo is 13-4 and earned an at-large bid after losing in the SUNYAC championship game to SUNY-Cortland on Saturday. This is the Knights’ first appearance in the NCAA tournament.
The tournament field was announced Monday afternoon. Colby College earned an at-large bid going 14-3 and losing in the NESCAC semifinals. The Mules will host a second-round game at 1 p.m. Sunday against the winner of the Springfield vs. Merchant Marine game, which takes place at Colby on Saturday.
If St. Joseph’s wins Saturday, it would advance to play seven-time national champion Middlebury on Sunday.
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