Let me first say that this old guy (69, two years from Old Guard) is following softball closely for the first time. The gals were so impressive! Then when I read "human interest" type stories, that adds icing to the cake!

HokieMama18, you have good "inside" info--I always read your postings. If one of the players is your daughter, please let her and the team know they made us proud! Told my ladyfriend we're going to get on the wagon much earlier next season instead of March!

As for LU being in the St. Pete tourney, I sure have no knowledge of how they got in. My thought is this: Dot Richardson had a very nice softball job in Florida with the AAU. Given her background in the sport from UCLA on, Olympics, etc., she had influence in the sport and rightly so. Had no desire to be anywhere else or do anything else. LU builds a new softball stadium and offers her the open job. They asked her to visit before she gives them a final turndown. She gets to Lynchburg, sees the facilities, says it's one of the five best in the country, and leaves with accepting the open coaching job. With all this said, I'm thinking it's very likely she used her influence to secure a tourney spot. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that if it, in fact, happened as I described.