April 30, 2012
San Antonio – St. Mary’s did not receive the at-large bid it was hoping for Monday morning.
The Rattlers’ softball team, which over the weekend fell to St. Edward’s 2-0 in the Heartland Conference Tournament championship game, was left out of the eight-team field that advanced to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, as unveiled by the NCAA.
St. Mary’s won the Heartland’s regular-season title – its 11th in 12 years – but did not earn the league’s automatic bid, which came by winning the postseason championship.
St. Mary’s finished the season 34-19, placing seven players on the All-Heartland Conference First Team. Ace Emily Brittain (So., Corpus Christi, Texas) won Pitcher of the Year honors for the second straight year, while freshman utility player Taylor Vidrine (San Antonio) was named the Freshman of the Year. Head coach Donna Fields, coaching her 15th season, won Coach of the Year honors for the eighth time in her career.