HIGH POINT, N.C. – After concluding the regular season with 17-8-1 mark, which included a 7-1 record in the National Collegiate Softball Association (NCSA) District III East Division, the High Point University Intercollegiate Club Sports softball team heads to Hickory, N.C., for the District III Tournament this weekend. 

The Panthers, who are the No. 3 seed, will face off against second seed Kennesaw State in the opening round on Saturday, April 25th at 9 a.m. Meanwhile, top seed Wake Forest will face off against No. 4 seed Western Carolina in the 11 a.m. game. 

Depending on the outcome of the first game, High Point will face either Wake Forest or Western Carolina at either 1 p.m. (Losers Bracket) or 3 p.m. (Winners Bracket) to determine who will represent the District III winner in the NCSA College World Series. 

The NCSA College World Series will bring together champions from District I (Glen Falls, N.Y.), District II (Richboro, Pa.), Division III (Hickory, N.C.) and Division IV (Elkhart, Ind.) in Cranberry Township, Pa., on May 8-10. 

The Panthers head to the North Carolina foothills winning four of their last six games, taking down Charlotte, East Carolina, Johnson & Wales and Wake Forest since March 22nd. The two setbacks came in a series split with Johnson & Wales and Wake Forest. The loss to Wake Forest was the only setback at home of the season for the Panthers, who were 13-1 when playing on home turf. 

"Our magic at home fueled off friends and family, lots of fans from the community come to watch us and parents from around the world," said senior pitcher Alli Smith. "I know personally it means a lot to see my family from home and school there. Going on the road this weekend I think it will be important to keep them in our hearts and play for our school even when away."

The Panthers enjoyed their best stretch of the season from November 1 through November 15, when they won six straight games and outscored the trio of Surry CC, Campbell and Charlotte by a 74-36 margin. 

Not only was the team finding its offensive and defensive identities, but it was gelling together and developing a cohesion that would play a tremendous part in its spring successes. 

"All of our fall games I feel really prepared us for the rest of the season in the spring, especially with staying at No. 1 in the country for Division II club softball," said freshman Logan Jones. "We played very well and as we got to know each other off the field it made playing together easier.

"We have all played at a high level coming into club softball at High Point and we all know what it takes," continued Jones. "That period of time was our best series of play and that needs to continue to show out this weekend in Regionals." 

Smith echoed her teammate by adding "I feel that we have worked together as a team since the first time we played together. Everyone has such a strong love for the game that we worked together from the beginning and have been successful ever since."

Panthers' head coach Kevin Haithcock also realized that the six-game winning streak was a key stretch of the 2025-26 campaign. "The culture that has been built and the desire for the team to pay it forward for the players to come help in streaks like that.  They have felt the World Series and want to finish it this year."

Individually, eight Panther sluggers boasted at least a .300 batting average in a minimum of four games played during the 12-game spring season. Lauren Rumble led the way with a .500 batting average, followed by Bailey Doyle (.429), Kayla Rabalais (.400), Alli Smith (.400), Abby Hipolit (.368), Sofia Visconti (.364), Abbi Jenkins (.308) and Lauren Thomasson (.304). 

Doyle, who led all sluggers with nine hits in the spring, closed out the spring slate with eight singles, one double, six runs and five RBI while drawing six walks. Smith and Jenkins ignited the Panthers' lineup with a team-best eight RBI. Jenkins was also responsible for three doubles, one more than the quartet of Hipolit, Thomason, Rachel Minteer and Liza Baker, who had two doubles apiece. 

Smith (4-0) toed the rubber on eight occasions on the mound, facing 175 opposing hitters, where she came through with 20 K's and finished with 13 earned runs and a 2.60 ERA. Rabalais (2-0) made five appearances in the circle for High Point, striking out 11 of the 164 sluggers she faced, surrendering just 24 earned runs along the way. 

One of the key X factors to High Point's success on the diamond this season can be attributed to Haithcock and assistant coaches Mike Ellis and Macey Ellis. The team has lost back-to-back games on two occasions this season and only suffered one series sweep on only one occasion. That came to Montreat, an NAIA program, on March 21st. 

"I feel that our coaches bring high energy and intensity to our games, creating an energetic environment that is highly contagious," said Smith. "I feel that we have worked together as a team since the first time we played together. Everyone has such a strong love for the game that we worked together from the beginning and have been successfully ever since."

Jones has also been impressed with the trio in her first year with the Panthers, adding "our coaches have believed in us even if we are down. They express how much they love watching up playing and competing. They care about each of us and want us to have fun not only in the field, but off when we do our own things/interest." 

Haithcock himself sees that the teamwork and camaraderie has been a staple to High Point's success this season. "I don't think it's a specific player or coach but the team as a whole coming together to create the moments and memories," said Haithcock. "It all matters, on and off the field as a team."