KU softball squad misses NCAA Tournament field

Kansas University’s softball team gathered Sunday night in hopes of learning it had been invited to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Left out of the 64-team field, the Jayhawks held their annual postseason banquet instead.

KU’s season ended with a 33-28-1 record, not good enough to make the tourney field. Five Big 12 Conference teams were invited — Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor and Missouri.

Kansas last was invited to the NCAAs in 1999, when it finished 31-30 overall.

At the team’s award banquet, senior first baseman Leah Mountain was given the Jayhawk Pride, Most Improved Player and Defensive MVP awards. Sophomore left fielder Heather Stanley was Offensive MVP, and senior Kara Pierce — who also was named to the Big 12 all-tournament team — was named Team MVP.

KU’s 1st Novice 8 sweeps

Oak Ridge, Tenn. — After winning its first two races Saturday, Kansas University’s First Novice 8 boat took home a gold medal Sunday at the South-Central Regionals.

With a time of 7:05.3, KU defeated Ohio State by four seconds to win the Grand Final. The victory caps a successful spring season for the KU boat, which only lost one race.

The Jayhawks’ First Varsity 8 boat finished sixth in the Petite Final, with a time of 7:05.4, good for seventh in the Central Region. KU’s Second Varsity 8 notched third place in its C Final with a time of 7:18.2, four seconds behind first-place Miami. The Jayhawks’ Varsity 4 finished fifth with a time of 8:36.0.

As a team, Kansas finished eighth in the Central Region and 12th overall with 189 points. Virginia won the event with 404 points, while Ohio State won the Central Region with 391 points.