Archives & Special Collections

Women’s History Month: Women’s Athletics at Elon in the 2000s

Julia Mueller
March 29, 2013

On May 14, 2010, the Elon women’s softball team, coached by Patti Raduenz and seeded number two, defeated the number four seed UNC-Greensboro Spartans in the Southern Conference Championship.  Prior to playing UNC-G, the Phoenix defeated UT–Chattanooga Mocs, which was the number one seed in the SoCon tournament.  This was the first time in the season that the Mocs lost.  The championship was a first for Elon as well–it was the first time an Elon women’s sports team won a conference tournament title since joining the Southern Conference in 2003.  This was also the first tournament title for Elon women’s athletics since the soccer team brought home the Big South tournament title in 1999.  

At the top of the seventh inning, the Phoenix were down 2-1 to the Spartans.  According to The Pendulum student newspaper from May 22, 2010, freshman outfielder Tomeka Watson sparked a comeback when she hit a double.  “Following that, junior second baseman Jackie Gonzalez recorded an infield single and Watson scored on the next at-bat off of a Spartans’ throwing error.  Then, junior outfielder Emerald Graham singled, sending Gonzales home to put Elon up 3-2.”  Sophomore catcher Kaitlyn Piazzolla then hit a home run adding three more points to the score.  The Phoenix won 6-3.

The Phoenix were invited to the NCAA tournament and competed against the University of Georgia and Radford in the Athens (Ga.) Regional.  They lost to both teams, but the softball team still celebrated as a result of their incredible accomplishments.