College of Charleston softball made history in Elon, North Carolina, and now the Cougars are headed to the NCAA Tournament with momentum, confidence, and one of the nation’s hottest pitchers leading the way.
The fifth-seeded Cougars captured the first CAA Championship in program history with a dominant 5-0 shutout victory over top-seeded Hofstra, becoming the first No. 5 seed to ever win the conference tournament.
At the center of the championship run was sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Mathis, who delivered a performance for the record books.
Mathis struck out a career-high 13 batters in the title game while tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout against the Pride. The 13 strikeouts marked the most by any pitcher in an NCAA conference championship game this postseason and capped off a dominant week in the circle for the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
The right-hander opened the championship game by striking out the side looking in the first inning and never let Hofstra settle in. She finished the tournament with a 3-0 record, allowing just one run across 20 innings while striking out 23 batters.
Charleston backed its ace with timely offense throughout the title game. Audri Bates went 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Leela Langston and Halle Cannon each drove in runs as the Cougars built an early lead and never looked back.
The championship breakthrough marks another milestone season for head coach Maggie Mrowka and a Charleston program that entered the tournament as an underdog before rattling off four wins in four days. The Cougars finished the CAA Tournament undefeated and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since joining the conference.
Now, the Cougars turn their attention to Athens, Georgia.
Charleston earned a spot in the NCAA Athens Regional and will open tournament play against No. 3 national seed Georgia. Clemson and UNC Greensboro round out the four-team regional field.
The Cougars enter regional play riding a wave of momentum after allowing only three total runs during their conference championship run. If Mathis can continue her dominant form in the circle, Charleston could become one of the NCAA Tournament’s most dangerous under-the-radar teams.
Watch The CAA Softball Championship Game Replay
NCAA D1 Softball Bracket
The bracket is set! 🥎
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Who Are The No. 1-Seeded Teams?
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Nebraska
- Alabama
Where Are The Regional Tournaments?
- Tuscaloosa
- Baton Rouge
- Tallahassee
- Los Angeles
- Fayetteville
- Durham
- Stillwater
- Norman
- Eugene
- Lubbock
- Gainesville
- Knoxville
- Athens
- College Station
- Austin
NCAA D1 Softball Champions
- 2025: Texas
- 2024: Oklahoma
- 2023: Oklahoma
- 2022: Oklahoma
- 2021: Oklahoma
- 2020: No championship (COVID-19 cancellation)
- 2019: UCLA
- 2018: Florida State
- 2017: Oklahoma
- 2016: Oklahoma
- 2015: Florida
- 2014: Florida
- 2013: Oklahoma
- 2012: Alabama
- 2011: Arizona State
- 2010: UCLA
- 2009: Washington
- 2008: Arizona State
- 2007: Arizona
- 2006: Arizona
- 2005: Michigan
- 2004: UCLA
- 2003: UCLA
- 2002: California
- 2001: Arizona
- 2000: Oklahoma
- 1999: UCLA
- 1998: Fresno State
- 1997: Arizona
- 1996: Arizona
- 1995: UCLA
- 1994: Arizona
- 1993: Arizona
- 1992: UCLA
- 1991: Arizona
- 1990: UCLA
- 1989: UCLA
- 1988: UCLA
- 1987: Texas A&M
- 1986: Cal State Fullerton
- 1985: UCLA
- 1984: UCLA
- 1983: Texas A&M
- 1982: UCLA
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