After just one year at Middle Tennessee State University, Ansley Blevins is already forever connected with one of the greatest moments in Blue Raiders softball history.
In fact, the GPS graduate from Jasper, Tennessee, was a key contributor this spring to MTSU's best season ever.
An RBI single by Blevins in the top of the 12th inning proved to be the winning hit against the University of North Texas on May 13 in Ruston, Louisiana, with the 3-2 victory securing the second Conference USA title in MTSU history.
"The conference tournament was one of the hardest but most rewarding things any of us have done," said Blevins, a 6-foot catcher and first baseman who, during her time at GPS, set Bruisers records for single-season and career home runs.
"It felt like it was 130 degrees on this turf field. But we kept pushing. Whenever we got that last out, I dropped to my knees. Winning the conference championship was one of the most emotionally overwhelming experiences, but in the best way possible. We were so proud of ourselves and each other in that moment."
Before the season, there was little reason for anyone outside of the Blue Raiders' camp to expect much, and apparently no one did. A year after winning just 19 games, MTSU was picked in the preseason to finish ninth in the 10-team conference, with UNT receiving nine of 10 votes to win the title.
But this was a new-look team in Murfreesboro, and Blevins and her teammates went to work and proceeded to win a program-record 42 games (with 20 losses), surpassing the 39 victories of the 2001 Blue Raiders. MTSU was far from done after winning its conference tournament, becoming the first C-USA team since Tulane in 2014 to win three games in an NCAA regional.
MTSU beat 23rd-ranked Central Arkansas a combined 11-0 in two meetings at the Tuscaloosa Regional, then shocked the softball world with a 4-1 win over host Alabama, the NCAA tournament's No. 5 overall seed, avenging a 12-5 loss to the Crimson Tide earlier in the regional and forcing a second game to decide the site champion.
The Tide ended MTSU's dream run with a homer in the top of the seventh for a 1-0 victory, then won a super regional at home against No. 12 Northwestern to advance to the Women's College World Series. Alabama went 0-2 in Oklahoma City with losses to No. 4 Tennessee and No. 9 Stanford this past week.
But while the season was over for the Blue Raiders, the honors for Blevins were not. She followed her C-USA all-tournament team selection by making the all-regional team in Tuscaloosa, where she hit a home run against Alabama and went 4-for-13 with three RBIs in five regional games.
"When we got to regionals, we were just like, 'No one thought we would even be here, so let's have a good time and ride it out," Blevins said. "At the time we beat Central Arkansas, we didn't even know they were ranked. Even when we played Alabama, there was no thought in our mind like, "Oh my God, we are playing Alabama. We are going to lose.' We were like, 'Let's show them what we do and shock them a little bit.'"
Blevins brought a winning mindset to MTSU from GPS, where she was part of three TSSAA Division II-AA state runner-up finishes for a program coached by Susan Crownover. She hit 20 home runs in her senior season with the Bruisers in 2022, when she was intentionally walked 25 times, drove in 51 runs in 83 at-bats and had an on-base plus slugging percentage of 2.031.
MTSU coach Jeff Breeden thought highly enough of Blevins to bat her third in the lineup for the team's first seven games. Over the Blue Raiders' final 20 games, Blevins had her best stretch as she went 20-for-60 (.333) with a pair of home runs. She finished the season second on the team with six homers, while her 288 defensive putouts led the team as she posted a stellar .987 fielding percentage.
"Before a road doubleheader against FIU (Florida International University), I told my coach I am going to hit great and have a big day at the plate," said Blevins, who went 6-for-8 on April 22 in Miami to break out of a slump. "That really turned around my mindset. I gained my confidence at the plate when I realized I have been playing this game my whole life. Even at this level, I am still a good hitter."
From crying tears of joy after helping MTSU make history to dancing on the field in pregame warmups with her teammates, Blevins' freshman season could be just the start of much for her and the program.
MTSU was tabbed as the country's No. 23 team on May 23 in the Softball America Top 25. And while Blevins has a busy schedule this summer as more than a dozen kids have already signed up to take softball lessons with the local star, she'll also be working toward her own future.
"This season definitely brought us a lot of national exposure," Blevins said. "As of now, we are only losing two players. I am super excited for what our season will look like next year. But like Coach Breeden says, we have to show up and prove ourselves next year just like we did this year. Nothing falls into the next season.
"We are all excited to get out there and work hard and do something special again."
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.