Jackson Free Press

Rick Fremin, who became coach of the Jackson State University women's softball team in January, does not hesitate naming the on-the-field leader for the Lady Tigers. "Without question, one player I feel does not get enough media hype or exposure is Wendi Reed," he said.

"ESPN and others in the major media will point out Kayla Braud from Alabama in our regional, but Wendi is just as good and leading the nation in stolen bases, while Braud is third."

Reed, a junior from Arkansas, certainly has been a star this season for the Lady Tigers. Not only does she lead the nation in steals (55 steals in 59 attempts), she is second in triples (7), and tied for 26th in runs per game (1.0, averaging a run per game).

Fremin is thankful that he will have Reed one more season. Reed is in the top five of every major statistical category for the team.

JSU faces the tournament's second overall seed, Alabama, in its opening game. The Crimson Tide are the SEC regular season champions and ranked fourth in the country overall.

While it seems like a longshot for the Lady Tigers to upset Alabama in game one, Coach Fremin has told his team "as long as we are the hardest working team with the most hustle, we will let the chips fall where they may."

"Our goal is not to be the first team eliminated and to play hard each game we get in the double elimination regional," Fremin says.

He admits that this is a big set in the program's development.

Filling out the regional is Memphis, an at-large bid from C-USA and UT-Chattanooga, the Southern Conference Tournament winners. The Lady Memphis Tigers and the Lady Mocs open regional play at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

At 6 p.m. Friday, JSU meets Alabama. The winner of this regional will meet the winner of the Stanford Regional that includes No. 15 seed Stanford, plus Nebraska, Pacific and Fresno State.

The NCAA.org interactive bracket allows fans to see game casts of teams not on television. The interactive bracket will also show the teams showcased on ESPN U.