Tennessee Lady Vols (47-14)

SEC at-large selection

Coach(s): Karen and Ralph Weekly

RPI: 9

Pitching Ace (s): Sr. Megan Rhodes 20-9, 2.24 ERA; Fr. Ashton Ward 27-5, 1.94 ERA.

Big Sticks: Sr. Tonya Callahan .473 avg., 16 HR, 61 RBI; Sr. Kenora Posey .383 avg., 43-48 SB-SBA, 50 runs; So. Erinn Webb 7 HR, 37 RBI, .548 slug pct.

Worth noting: The Lady Vols have had the SEC’s player of the year the past two seasons, Callahan this year and India Chiles in 2007.

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Winthrop Lady Eagles (36-17)

Big South regular season and tourney champs

Coach: Mark Cooke

RPI: 63

Pitching Ace (s): So. Megan Evans 17-6, 1.28; So. Cari Wooldridge 17-9, 1.81.

Big Sticks: Jr. Lisa Kingsmore .448 avg., 6 HR, 35 runs; Jr. Tessa Thomas .341 avg., 48 runs, 13 doubles; Jr. Mallory Hogan .288 avg., 10 HR, 49 RBI

Worth noting: Winthrop has 10 Canadian players, eight of them starters including Evans, Kingsmore and Thomas.

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Virginia Tech Hokies (44-15)

ACC Champions

Coach: Scot Thomas

RPI: 22

Pitching Ace: Sr. Angela Tincher 33-6, 0.57

Big Sticks: Charisse Maricond .368 avg., .509 slug pct., 17-17 SB-SBA; Jenna Rhodes .324 avg., 40-45 SB-SBA; Misty Hall 5 HR, 33 RBI, 16-18 SB-SBA.

Worth noting: Tincher threw a no-hitter against the U.S. Olympic team on March 26, handing Team USA its only loss. She stands No. 3 on the NCAA’s all-time list for strikeouts.

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Louisville Cardinals (30-21)

Big East at-large selection

Coach: Sandy Pearsall

RPI: 59

Pitching Ace: Kristen Wadwell 18-13, 2.24 ERA

Big Sticks: So. Melissa Roth .361 avg., 43 runs, 20 doubles; Fr. Chelsea Bemis .333 avg., 49 RBI, 5 HR; Sr. Sarah Totten .316 avg., 30 runs, 25 RBI

Worth noting: Louisville has a pitching pipeline to Australia. Wadwell, MVP of last year’s Big East tournament, hails from there, as did former Cardinal and Big East pitcher of the year Catherine Bishop.