Building the best team
It's always a bit interesting just how different the division II softball field can be from the division I group of teams. For example, in division I we are now down to 8 teams in the Women's College World Series, and of those eight teams, three of them are a number 1 seed. Three more of the teams are 2 seeds, and then you have Mississippi State with a five seed and Texas Tech with a three seed.
By contrast in the division II World Series, we have four 1 seeds, two 2 seeds, a three seed, and a four seed. I guess when you look at it like that, it isn't too far off, but I still think it gives you a broader view of how much the teams are spread out.
I think it becomes a different thing when you have players playing because they love to versus players playing because they are getting paid to. That isn't to imply that the division I players don't love what they are doing, but I think at the top level in the power conferences, the love of the sport has somewhat been factored out.
It's not surprising that the top schools can make their way to the finals because they have the money to bring in the best talent to make it so. However, on the D2 side of things, they just don't have that scholarship or NIL money like the big schools do. These players know they are likely playing some of the last softball games of their career. There isn't a pro contract waiting for them.
In fact, they might just go on to coach, or then again, they might never touch a softball again except in church league.
It's hard to say, but I feel like there is a bit less pressure at the lower level, and that lower pressure allows less likely teams to rise to the top. Sure, you still have some recruiting powerhouses, but there is a lot to be said for passion, and sometimes things just fall into place for a team where you really can't explain it.
In the same vein, there are times a team that on paper should be running the field completely implodes. You just never know.
For the D2 group of eight we have Saint Leo, CSUSM, West Texas A&M, STTAQN, MO SOU, UNG, McKendree, and Glenville getting ready to start their double elimination play tomorrow. I am really looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out.
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