NORMAN, Okla. – Making its 14th NCAA tournament appearance, the fourth-seeded Boston University softball team is set to open the Norman Regional at No. 2 nationally ranked and four-time defending national champion Oklahoma. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET on both ESPNU and ESPN+.

ACC representative and two-seed California will start off the day against Summit League champion and three-seed Omaha a 3:30 p.m. ET

TERRIER TIDBITS

• BU is 9-26 all-time in the NCAA tournament and will try to reach the regional finals for the third time after accomplishing the feat in both 1996 and 2009. Last year, the Terriers went 1-2 at the Norman Regional with an 8-0(5) win over Horizon League champion Cleveland State and pair of losses to No. RV/22 Oregon.
• BU will be visiting the Sooner State for the fourth time in seven NCAA appearances under head coach Ashley Waters following last year's trip to Norman and an earlier one in 2018. The Terriers also flew down in 2021 to the Stillwater Regional hosted by Oklahoma State.
• The Terriers are 0-2 this season against ranked opponents with two run-rule losses at then-No. 24/21 South Carolina on Feb. 21-22. BU last defeated a ranked team in 2023 with a 2-0 decision against No. 12/16 Baylor and will try to defeat a ranked opponent in the NCAAs for the first time since dispatching No. 21 UMass (10-4) in 2010.
• BU ranks in the top 50 nationally in 11 categories and top 100 in 20 categories, including No. 3 in fewest hit-batters allowed (10), No. 5 in triples (22), seventh in shutouts (16), 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (10) and 17th in ERA (2.53).
• Junior and now three-time NFCA All-Region First Team honoree Brooke Deppiesse ranks 64th nationally with .419 batting average while also ranking 18th in triples (6) and 21st in doubles (17).
• A fellow All-Region First Team member, sophomore Kylie Doherty ranks second at .351 with a PL-leading 13 homers, one shy of tying Chiya Louie's ('07) program record, while junior Megan Coyle (.309) leads BU at 51 RBIs, four shy of tying program record held by 2023 NFCA All-American Kayla Roncin.
• Owner of program record for innings pitched in a season at 237.2 IP, junior Kasey Ricard (26-10, 1.97 ERA) has claimed 227 strikeouts against 49 walks while holding opponents to .223. She pitched the shutout against Baylor during the 2023 freshman campaign in California.
• Named to the PL All-Tournament Team despite making just one appearance during the three-game sweep, freshman Danika Nell (8-1, 2.96 ERA) recorded all 21 outs in the 3-2 PL title win at Army West Point without allowing a run after the Black Knights posted a single plus two-run HR against Ricard.

SERIES HISTORY

• OU owns a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1993 after defeating the Terriers, 9-0 (5), in the 2018 Norman Regional opener. That contest marked a rematch of BU's earlier 4-3 regular season victory during a multi-team event held in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  
• The Terriers are 0-3 against Cal, last dropping a 4-1 decision in 2022 with San Diego State serving as host. The Golden Bears eliminated BU, 8-0 (5), as the top national seed hours after the then-America East champion Terriers eliminated MAAC representative Iona during the 2012 Berkeley Regional.
• BU is 1-0 against Omaha, winning the lone meeting, 6-1, at the University of Arkansas back in 2019.

UP NEXT

• The Norman Regional victor will advance to the Super Regionals on May 22-25 against the winner of the Tuscaloosa Regional hosted by No. 15 national seeded Alabama.