Austin Bound: Breaking Down the Badgers' Return to the NCAA Tournament
After a 32-win season and a Big Ten semifinal run, Wisconsin heads to the Austin Regional.
For the first time since 2022, the “Motion W” will be flying in the NCAA Softball Tournament.
On Sunday night, the Wisconsin Badgers (32-19) officially punched their ticket to the postseason, earning an at-large bid to the Austin Regional. This marks the 10th tournament appearance in program history and the eighth under head coach Yvette Healy.
While the Badgers fell just short in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, their regular-season resume—headlined by a 30-win campaign and a signature upset over No. 11 Oregon—was more than enough to impress the committee.
Here is everything you need to know about the Badgers’ path to Oklahoma City.
The Regional Landscape: Austin, Texas
The Badgers aren’t just heading to any regional; they are heading to the backyard of the No. 2 national seed, the Texas Longhorns.
The Field: (2) Texas, Wisconsin, Baylor, Wagner.
The First Test: Wisconsin vs. Baylor
When: Friday, May 15 | 1:30 PM ET
Watch: ESPN+
The Badgers enter the regional as the No. 2 seed in the four-team pod. Their opening opponent, Baylor (28-26), is a familiar but distant foe. Wisconsin is 2-0 all-time against the Bears, though they haven’t met on the diamond since 2002.
The “400 Club”: Wisconsin’s Triple Threat
If Wisconsin is going to play spoiler in Austin, it will be on the backs of their historically elite hitting. Most teams would love to have a player flirt with a .400 batting average; the Badgers currently have three.
Emily Bojan (.402): The senior leader who sets the tone at the top of the order.
Kendra Lewis (.402): A model of consistency and a nightmare for opposing pitchers to strike out.
Danielle Lucey (.400): The spark plug with 22 RBIs and elite speed on the paths.
Combine that trio with Hilary Blomberg, who leads the team with 31 RBIs and 8 home runs, and you have a lineup that can hurt you in a dozen different ways. In a double-elimination format, this level of offensive depth is exactly what you need to survive a long weekend.
The “What If” Factor: Austin Magic?
For the superstitious Badger fans, there is some history to lean on here. The last time the Badgers played in Austin was during the 2023 Bevo Classic. In that tournament, Wisconsin pulled off a stunning 7-6 upset over No. 9 Alabama.
They know the dirt at McCombs Field. They know how to win as underdogs in that environment.
The Path Forward
If the Badgers handle business against Baylor on Friday, they will likely face a collision course with the hosting Texas Longhorns on Saturday. Texas is one of the favorites to win the entire Women’s College World Series, but as we saw in the Big Ten Tournament against Oregon, this Badger team thrives when the lights are brightest.
The Badger Backer Take
This season already feels like a massive win for Yvette Healy, proving that the program’s developmental pipeline is still good. But with this senior class and these hitting stats? Don’t be surprised if they make things very uncomfortable for the Longhorns this weekend.
It means a lot to have you here at The Badger Backer. Your readership makes digging into the weeds of recruiting and roster management worthwhile. Let’s keep the conversation going!
On Wisconsin!
Follow me on ‘X’ @christianborman and @thebadgerbacker!