After being shipped to the Norman Regional each of the previous two years, Boston University head coach Ashley Waters said the Terriers had a greater reaction finding out this year’s location than earning the No. 3 seed in the Lubbock Regional of the 2026 NCAA softball tournament.
“I think the cheer was louder for Kansas going to Oklahoma than for us coming to Lubbock,” Waters said after her team’s practice Thursday at Tracy Sellers Field. “There was definitely a celebration. I mean, listen, if you asked me where we were going, I was never going to say Lubbock. I don’t think anyone here has been to Lubbock, on our team, but it is a welcomed challenge and it’s cool to be somewhere new and experience a different stadium. We’re happy to experience something very, very different than OU.”
Waters’ team opens its stay in Lubbock on Friday, taking on Ole Miss (1 p.m., ESPNU), the winner taking on either Texas Tech or Marist in Saturday’s second day of action.
The Terriers sport a 46-13 record on the year, hold a victory over Duke along with games against other power-conference opponents such as UCF and South Carolina. Those games, plus the team’s past two trips to the tournament, have players like Kylie Doherty feeling this is a moment for Boston U to show it shouldn’t be an afterthought.
“I would say it’s knowing that we belong on the stage and that it’s not a fluke that we made it the first two times,” Doherty said. “Like, we belong here.”
Doherty’s offensive explosion is one reason the Terriers are a team to take seriously in the Lubbock Regional. After a solid showing as a sophomore, the outfielder put together a career year in her junior campaign, shattering program records with 26 home runs and 88 RBI. Doherty said the improvements come from the team’s depth in the lineup, not pressuring herself to perform with solid backup behind her.
“I think it’s being able to play freer because of that,” Doherty said, “and just putting less stress on the game and playing to have fun instead of playing to get hits or something. Just enjoying the game that much more and having more fun with my teammates.”
Much of Boston U’s success over the past three seasons can be attributed to the arm of Kacey Ricard. The three-time Patriot League pitcher of the year has rewritten her own program records in the circle, doing so on a consistent basis.
Ricard leads the nation in pitching wins (32) and innings pitched (234.1) and accounts for 63% of the team’s total innings. Waters said, “There’s no pitcher that’s probably ever going to come through BU who will be better than her,” and Ricard takes pride in what she’s achieved in her four years in her home state of Massachusetts.
“It means everything to me,” the Littleton native said. “My family comes to every game. My grandparents come to every game. I think that’s something that not a lot of players to get have. Being able to have such a family atmosphere around where you’re playing is great. …
“I think being able to now represent Boston on like a bigger stage is really cool.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Boston U softball excited for change of scenery in Lubbock Regional
Reporting by Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
