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Ella McDowell soaked it all in.
After Arkansas softball lost to Ole Miss in the super regionals of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, McDowell elected to watch the Rebels celebrate on her home field. She still can picture the image of National Player of the Year Bri Ellis crying after the Game 3 defeat.
"I let that fuel me, and I lost sleep for, you know, months over it," McDowell said. "I think about that feeling almost every single day and I never want to feel like that again."
This weekend, McDowell and the Razorbacks (45-11) get the chance to put those memories behind them. A trip to Oklahoma City is on the line.
Arkansas has never been to the Women's College World Series, but Courtney Deifel's program can take that breakthrough step with two victories over Duke. The Hogs and Blue Devils (43-15) begin their three-game series inside Bogle Park on Friday, May 22. Arkansas was eliminated from this very stage of the NCAA Tournament in three of the past five seasons.
Deifel knows there is pressure on her team this weekend. She joked about the increased noise from the media on the eve of another super regional.
"Obviously, this this weekend means more. You guys continue to tell us that," Deifel said. "We got it."
However, she also believes this year's team has some unique qualities that make it primed for a successful weekend against the Blue Devils.
"This team has just been so level all year," she said. "They haven't really rode the highs and lows that this game can throw in your face and challenge you with, and I do think that we've had teams that have done a pretty good job with that, but not as good to the level that this team has done that."
Last year's team started 1-5 in SEC play and riddled itself with internal questions of just how good it could be. Eventually, the Hogs found their stride and went 15-4 to close the regular season.
But that blistering finish didn't translate to any added postseason success. This year, the Razorbacks have been one of the best teams in the country from start-to-finish. A challenging nonconference schedule pushed them to the No. 1 spot in the RPI. Series victories over national seeds like Texas, Florida and Georgia were further evidence.
There's also an added layer of motivation. Six starters in the lineup and both pitchers who entered the circle in the season-ending loss to Ole Miss are back with the Hogs in 2026.
"The majority of this team coming back, I think, have all been through the same thing. They were there last year, so they know that feeling," senior Kailey Wyckoff said.
"Like Ella said, I think we're ready."
By the end of the weekend, Arkansas will either make history or add more invisible weight to the burden of being one of the best programs in the country without ever reaching the WCWS.
The Razorbacks hope painful memories power them to a euphoric milestone.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas softball hopes painful memories lead to WCWS breakthrough
Continue reading...
After Arkansas softball lost to Ole Miss in the super regionals of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, McDowell elected to watch the Rebels celebrate on her home field. She still can picture the image of National Player of the Year Bri Ellis crying after the Game 3 defeat.
"I let that fuel me, and I lost sleep for, you know, months over it," McDowell said. "I think about that feeling almost every single day and I never want to feel like that again."
This weekend, McDowell and the Razorbacks (45-11) get the chance to put those memories behind them. A trip to Oklahoma City is on the line.
Arkansas has never been to the Women's College World Series, but Courtney Deifel's program can take that breakthrough step with two victories over Duke. The Hogs and Blue Devils (43-15) begin their three-game series inside Bogle Park on Friday, May 22. Arkansas was eliminated from this very stage of the NCAA Tournament in three of the past five seasons.
Deifel knows there is pressure on her team this weekend. She joked about the increased noise from the media on the eve of another super regional.
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"Obviously, this this weekend means more. You guys continue to tell us that," Deifel said. "We got it."
However, she also believes this year's team has some unique qualities that make it primed for a successful weekend against the Blue Devils.
"This team has just been so level all year," she said. "They haven't really rode the highs and lows that this game can throw in your face and challenge you with, and I do think that we've had teams that have done a pretty good job with that, but not as good to the level that this team has done that."
Last year's team started 1-5 in SEC play and riddled itself with internal questions of just how good it could be. Eventually, the Hogs found their stride and went 15-4 to close the regular season.
But that blistering finish didn't translate to any added postseason success. This year, the Razorbacks have been one of the best teams in the country from start-to-finish. A challenging nonconference schedule pushed them to the No. 1 spot in the RPI. Series victories over national seeds like Texas, Florida and Georgia were further evidence.
There's also an added layer of motivation. Six starters in the lineup and both pitchers who entered the circle in the season-ending loss to Ole Miss are back with the Hogs in 2026.
"The majority of this team coming back, I think, have all been through the same thing. They were there last year, so they know that feeling," senior Kailey Wyckoff said.
"Like Ella said, I think we're ready."
By the end of the weekend, Arkansas will either make history or add more invisible weight to the burden of being one of the best programs in the country without ever reaching the WCWS.
The Razorbacks hope painful memories power them to a euphoric milestone.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas softball hopes painful memories lead to WCWS breakthrough
Continue reading...
