Sparkill, N.Y. - Just call St. Thomas Aquinas College's softball team, "The Comeback Kids."

With their youngest roster in recent memory, the Spartans lost 10 of their first 12 games this season but rallied back to finish the record season with an impressive 29-21 record and a share of the East Coast Conference title.

In the ECC playoffs, STAC fell into the loser's bracket but stormed back again to register three straight victories to stave off elimination and win their second consecutive conference championship in dramatic fashion.

"This team never quit this season," said STAC Head Coach Kristen Sullivan, who was named the ECC Coach of the Year for the third straight season. "We field a team that usually has eight freshmen and sophomores, but they've played like upperclassmen especially in the second half of the season. This is a very determined and resilient group of athletes."

The Spartans' perseverance will be tested again in the next chapter of this story book season.

Their ECC title earned an automatic bid to the NCAA's Division II National Championship Tournament that begins this week. The 2024 season started with 278 teams competing for the national title and STAC is one of the 64 teams still in contention. Now 33-22, the Spartans received the eighth seed of the East Region tourney and will travel to Delaware on Thursday to meet top-seeded and nationally ranked Wilmington University (40-14) at 11:00 a.m. Fourth-seeded Assumption University (23-14) will face fifth-seeded St. Anselm College (25-22) in the other opening-round game at 1:30 p.m. The double-elimination tourney continues Friday and Saturday at Wilmington's Asbury Field. The regional winner will advance to the Super Regional next week with the eight Super Regional champs advancing to the national championship tourney in Orlando, Florida

"We are playing our best softball of the season so we are very excited about the opportunity to compete again in the regionals," said Sullivan, who led her team to the most wins in the 44-year history of the program. "We have a lot of momentum after winning the conference title. Sarah Clancy has developed into a premier pitcher and our defense has really improved as the season has progressed. Offensively, we have a very versatile unit."

Clancy, the Most Valuable Player of the ECC tourney and ECC Pitcher of the Year, has won 13 of her last 14 starts. The senior righty was brilliant in the ECC tournament, winning four games in two days to help the Spartans capture the crown. Defensively, Eliana Raposo (center field), Aliya Feerick (right field) and Elyse Marcano (second base) have excelled.

Raposo, named the ECC co-Player of the Year, has been a dynamic player for the Spartans. She leads the team in batting average (.380), on-base percentage (.426), homers (8) and RBI (50). Marcano, the team's leadoff hitter, has also enjoyed a tremendous all-around season that earned her first-team ECC honors at second base. She has set a new program record with 69 hits and leads the team in runs (47). Her batting average is .365.

Freshman Jessica Ferrick was also named to the first-team ECC team in the Utility role because of her success at catcher and third base while also serving as a key run producer. Fellow freshmen Aliya Feerick and Nayah Diaz have also helped with their bats while junior Amanda Demmerle leads the team in steals. Sophomore shortstop Adriana Coira and freshman catcher Olivia Leon have been steady in the field and at the plate.

Wilmington, ranked 17th nationally, is seeking to defend its East Region title. St. Anselm and Assumption both hail from the Northeast-10 conference.

2024 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament - East Regional 1

Day 1 - Thursday, May 9, 2024

Game 1: No. 1 Wilmington University (Del.) vs. No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas College - 11 a.m.

Game 2: No. 4 Assumption University vs. No. 5 Saint Anselm Colllege - 1:30 p.m.

Day 2 - Friday, May 10, 2024

Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 10 a.m.

Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 12:30 p.m.

Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 - 3 p.m.

Day 3 - Saturday, May 11, 2024

Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 - 12 p.m.

Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (If Necessary) - 2:30 p.m.

Ticket Sales  (On-Site Only)

Admission for each day of the tournament play will be as follows: 

• Adults - $10
• Students with I.D./Senior Citizens - $5
• Children (ages 2-12) - $5
• Children under age 2 shall be admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult