CONWAY -- At first Sam Forrest was hoping that the Central Arkansas softball team wouldn't be sent to a field she'd played on a handful of times growing up outside Tulsa.
"To be honest," the junior third baseman said, "I kind of wanted to go somewhere we haven't gone before."
NCAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
WHEN 3 p.m. today
WHERE OU Softball Complex, Norman, Okla.
TEAMS Oklahoma (45-7), Central Arkansas (35-19), Lehigh (39-7), Texas A&M (38-18)
INTERNET ESPN3.com
But when Forrest and her teammates saw UCA's name unveiled beside the University of Oklahoma during Sunday's NCAA Tournament selection show, all disappointment was pushed aside.
UCA's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament -- the Bears (35-19) face No. 11 seed Oklahoma (45-7) at 3 p.m. today -- would be exciting regardless of the location, but this site seems particularly appropriate considering Oklahoma has been one of Coach David Kuhn's most fertile recruiting areas.
Six UCA players are from the state and will get to play the most significant game of their college careers in front of family and friends.
Forrest, who is hitting a team-best .354, said she'll have a supporting group of about 20 today at the OU Softball Complex, where she played in a high school all-star game during her senior season in Broken Arrow, Okla., and has played three times in college.
"I've been there so many times," Forrest said. "It's really nice because a lot of my family can come and people who have supported us."
UCA likely wouldn't be competing in the NCAA Tournament if it weren't for the six Oklahomans on the roster.
Forrest was a second-team All-Southland Conference selection. Hanna Stirton of Owasso starts in left field, Ashley Boswell of Tahlequah starts at first base and Amy Gunnells of Tulsa starts in center field. Reserves Brianna McArthur of Moore and Tylor Dodson of Welch will return to their home state as well.
Kuhn is 208-188 in seven years at UCA, and this will be the school's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 20 years the school has sponsored the sport.
Kuhn said his interest in recruiting Oklahoma developed because of the quality of club softball available within driving distance of UCA's campus.
"It's like fishing," said Kuhn, explaining that when a pool delivers it's best to stay there until it dries up. "You just kind of build relationships, people you trust that have the same philosophies that you do, and it's kind of like a feeder program."
He almost lucked into getting Forrest, who said she was all set to go to Wichita State until the school made a coaching change and the new coach suggested she might be better off finding a scholarship elsewhere. She didn't know at the time that Gunnels and Stirton, teammates on her summer club team, were on Kuhn's radar as well.
Forrest started talking with Kuhn, found out he needed an outfielder and was sold. She hit .387 and scored a team-high 44 runs as a freshman, then moved to third base as a sophomore and hit .338 and had 43 RBI. She has been the Bears' leadoff hitter this season and has continued a pace that Kuhn said will "shatter the record books."
"It's really crazy," Forrest said. "You think you have a plan and you know how everything is going to play out, and then one thing changes and it's all different.
"I really think it's for the better, not only for me but for all of us."
Just like being sent back home for the postseason.
"We've got a good following and a lot of alumni there," Kuhn said. "We've got some familiarity. The bad thing is, we're playing one of the best teams in the country."
Sports on 05/15/2015