The sounds of Pomp and Circumstance filled the ears of many University of North Carolina Wilmington graduates last Friday and Saturday. For a small group, however, the sounds were different – the ping of bat hitting ball and yells of elation.
Seven of UNCW’s newest alumni rang in commencement weekend capturing the first Colonial Athletic Association Softball Tournament championship in program history. With it, UNCW will make its first NCAA Softball Championship appearance.
The climb to the top of the CAA mountain marks a crowning achievement for a Seahawk program that head coach Kristy Norton took over in 2013, a season after it went 9-45 with a 4-17 conference mark. Steadily, the record improved with CAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018.
“I shared a vision and my values as a coach,” Norton said about her hiring. Steadily, the record improved and UNCW reached the CAA Tournament in 2017 and 2018. “For it to come to fruition for all the young ladies who have come through the program, and alumni before my tenure who reached out after we won the tournament, is an incredible feeling of accomplishment.”
Norton was not the only one member of this year's team hearing former Seahawks offering support.
“I’ve had a lot of teammates,” senior Casey Jones said. “I’m getting texts from them saying congrats. It has been amazing. They all pushed me to get to this point. It’s a full-circle moment to see where we started and how those players helped us get there.”
“Coach Norton asks us how you can make someone else better,” graduate student Anna Knox said. “I’ve tried to spend time with one person a day or week and try to give back to them because that’s what my teammates did for me. They invested in me. If you invest in each other, that’s how you’re investing in the program.”
The ascent to the top of the CAA and the importance to all who have come before is a familiar story to UNCW.
Change is continual; so is growth.
Page from the 1976 Fledgling
As the university heads into its 75th anniversary this fall, the college that opened its doors to 238 students in 1947 has evolved into a nationally ranked university of nearly 18,000 students that is recognized for its commitment to excellence, student-centered learning experiences, diversity, innovation and community engagement.
“Hang in there. Next year’s comin’,” wrote the 1976 edition of The Fledgling, the UNC Wilmington yearbook, in the recap of the school’s first softball team, which finished its inaugural season with a 3-2 record.
The program grew, changed and developed right alongside the university.
“It’s incredible to see how happy our alumni are to see the current success of the program,” Norton said. “They all contributed. We wouldn’t be where we are without their continued support and encouragement. The entire history of UNCW softball is why we were able to accomplish what we did.”
Just as The Fledgling hinted, success has come for the Seahawk softball program. The 2022 edition will always hold claim to the first CAA title.
“This team is a very special one,” senior Taylor Smith said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to do this with anybody else. It is super special. The feelings of that championship, and the memories we’ll continue to make as we go along, will be something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Seahawks of all ages can create their own memories and watch the program’s NCAA debut this weekend as UNCW (32-13) will open against No. 10 national seed Clemson (39-15) at noon Friday inside the Tigers' McWhorter Stadium. Auburn (39-15) and Louisiana (45-11) join the double-elimination regional.
The tournament setup is one UNCW fans know well as NCAA Softball and NCAA Baseball have matching regional, super regional and College World Series formats. The winner of UNCW’s Clemson Regional faces the winner of the Stillwater Regional in a super regional, May 26-29. The final eight teams advance to USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series, which runs June 2-10.