The Iowa and Drake softball teams are both preparing for NCAA Regional action this weekend. The Hawkeyes will host a regional in Iowa City after finishing second to Northwestern at the Big Ten tournament this past weekend.
Iowa coach Gayle Blevins says it’s wonderful to host and a special situation to be home and play in front of the Hawkeye fans. Blevins says hosting a regional gives them more time as the deal with finals and is nice after being on the road so much this season.
Iowa will host Missouri in the opening round. The other first round game pits Long Beach State against Creighton. Blevins says top to bottom it’s the best regional in the country, with a tough matchup for all the teams.
Drake will take part in a regional in Evanston, Illinois. The Bulldogs advanced by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament over the weekend. Coach Rich Calvert says it is a great accomplishment for his team which has now won eight of its last nine. Calvert says the seniors have worked especially hard this year, so it’s exciting to have a chance for them to continue to play.
Calvert says the seniors have led the way during the stretch run, and have been in the middle of things all year long batting 1-4 in the lineup. Drake goes up against DePaul in the opening round. The other game has Northwestern taking on Western Illinois. Calvert says all the teams are good, but he says he likes his chances.