Back to the South Florida Bulls Newsfeed

Down to the Last Out: USF Softball’s Grit-Fueled Rise

(Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference)

TAMPA, Fla., May 14, 2025 – There were random or not-so-random moments when USF softball coach Ken Eriksen said he felt something special was brewing.

The Bulls (43-14-1) won the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship to earn a spot in the NCAA Regionals. USF opens Friday afternoon (ESPNU at noon) against the SEC's Auburn Tigers (32-22) on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee.

That's special enough.

But the manner in which USF arrived at this postseason party?

Pure storybook.

"This bunch … they're going to fight, they're going to battle and they're going to play hard until the last out,'' Eriksen said.