Arkansas softball hopes painful memories lead to postseason breakthrough
One year ago, Arkansas softball came one win shy of the WCWS. The Hogs hope those painful memories provide the last push to a program breakthrough.
Ella McDowell soaked it all in. After Arkansas softball lost to Ole Miss in the super regionals of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, McDowell elected to watch the Rebels celebrate on her home field. She still can picture the image of National Player of the Year Bri Ellis crying after the Game 3 defeat.
"I let that fuel me, and I lost sleep for, you know, months over it," McDowell said. "I think about that feeling almost every single day and I never want to feel like that again. " This weekend, McDowell and the Razorbacks (45-11) get the chance to put those memories behind them.
A trip to Oklahoma City is on the line. Arkansas has never been to the Women's College World Series, but Courtney Deifel's program can take that breakthrough step with two victories over Duke. The Hogs and Blue Devils (43-15) begin their three-game series inside Bogle Park on Friday, May 22.
Arkansas was eliminated from this very stage of the NCAA Tournament in three of the past five seasons. Deifel knows there is pressure on her team this weekend. She joked about the increased noise from the media on the eve of another super regional.