STARKVILLE — Nearly 11 months ago in the Bryan Athletic Building, Vann Steudeman told anybody who would listen that Mississippi State University softball was going to the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
She told her players, who wanted to hear her vision, the postseason was going to happen.
She told the school administration the NCAA appearance was imminent, which was fine by them.
She told the media and fans her program would get one of those coveted 64 spots.
After witnessing a 24-32 season that saw the winningest coach in program history lose his job, nobody honestly knew how to respond.
“She did say (The NCAA Tournament) was the plan for this season and I, like everybody else, knew the challenge facing her team having to improve that much in less than a year,” MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin said.
When MSU’s name popped up on the ESPNU screen during the NCAA Tournament, it was Stricklin who embraced his first head coaching hire during the announcement party at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Starkville.
“I hugged her and said I know this will be the first of many (selections),” Stricklin said. “To be honest, I can’t remember being more proud of group of players in coaches than these young ladies in our softball program for what they’ve accomplished.”
Sunday’s selection to the Eugene Regional of the NCAA Tournament marks the completion of everything Stuedeman envisioned when she took the job in Starkville.
“I said it during my press conference because we have such a great group of girls and I knew it would be a challenge where we’d have to work hard,” Stuedeman said Sunday. “I thanked every one of them for buying into a new coaching staff and making this happen.”
Stuedeman is one of only two first-year head coaches in the 2012 NCAA field as former MSU assistant Annie Smith leading her Georgia Southern University into the Athens Regional will join her in that feat this weekend.
“We really needed to get in this tournament this year to continue that foundation,” Stuedeman said. “Once you get in and you feel that feeling then you want to be there. They pass on that desire and excitement of the postseason from class to class.”
Before becoming the leader of the Bulldogs program, Stuedeman helped guide the University of Alabama to six Women’s College World Series appearances in her previous 11 seasons as an assistant coach with the Crimson Tide.
“We talked about (how) we didn’t get an All-Southeastern Conference player but it’s not about one player,” Stuedeman said. “It was about a lot of grit, a lot of guts and a lot of heart in buying in.”
It turns out all the MSU players may have needed was someone like Stuedeman to tell them they were capable of what they have now accomplished.
“I didn’t think she was nuts and to be honest, it was refreshing to finally have a coach that believed we were going to the NCAAs,” sophomore infielder Erin Nesbit said. “From day one, she believed we would make it here and (Sunday) is just a testament to the fact she’s the most determined person I know. It’s awesome to play for her.”
Stuedeman’s dream of taking MSU to the 2012 NCAA Tournament will become a reality when the Bulldogs take to Howe Field in Eugene, Ore., on the campus of the University of Oregon to take on Brigham Young University Thursday at 5 p.m.
“I’ve always wanted to go (to the state of Oregon),” Stuedeman said. “I’m super proud of these girls and how they’ve worked hard. They earned this.”
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