When Ashley Chastain stepped into the head coach role at South Carolina, no one was talking about the Gamecocks making a Super Regional run—let alone hosting one. Here we are. Year one. Super Regionals. The question isn’t “how did they get here?” It’s “who’s stopping them now?”

The truth is, Chastain didn’t just bring energy—she brought a whole new standard. A former Gamecock herself and one of the most respected pitching minds in the game, she’s turned a team that many overlooked into one that’s built on grit, precision, and belief.

Let’s talk about that belief for a second. You can see it in the dugout. You can hear it in the way they talk to each other between innings. This team is dialed. They’re turning double plays like clockwork and pitching with ice in their veins. In the Columbia Regional, they allowed just three runs total. That’s not luck—that’s culture. That’s buy-in. And that’s 100% Chastain’s influence.

She’s reshaped the identity of this program from the inside out. South Carolina was known for flashes of potential in the past, but consistency? Not so much. This year, they’ve become a team that plays clean defense, executes under pressure, and doesn’t blink when the game gets tight. That’s what makes them dangerous.

Now comes the real test. It’s one thing to win your regional. It’s another to go toe-to-toe with a program like UCLA. We’re talking about a team with 12 national championships and one of the most battle-tested coaching staffs in the country. The Bruins are the gold standard. Their resume speaks for itself. So the question becomes: can Chastain handle the chess match ahead? Can she outmaneuver a UCLA program that’s been here, done that, and written the postseason playbook?

I think she can.

Look—this matchup isn’t just about talent. It’s about tempo. It’s about confidence. And right now, South Carolina is riding a wave that only belief can build. Chastain has these players bought in on every pitch, every rep, every moment. That’s the kind of leadership that wins in May.

Whether they punch a ticket to OKC or fall short, what Ashley Chastain has done this season is nothing short of remarkable. She’s taken a team off the radar and put them right in the national conversation. She’s turned “maybe next year” into “why not us now?”

This is only the beginning. South Carolina isn’t just hosting UCLA—they’re announcing their arrival.

So bring the Bruins. Bring the cameras. Bring the pressure.The Gamecocks are just getting started.

COLUMBIA — It took a moment to sink in — then suddenly, celebrations erupted as an eighth run meant South Carolina softball advanced to a super regional for the first time since 2018.

First-year coach Ashley Chastain Woodard and the No. 8 seed Gamecocks (43-15) beat North Florida 8-0 in a run-ruled five-inning game on May 18, after beating the Ospreys 3-0 on May 17 and Elon 5-2 on May 16 in the Columbia Regional.

They will host either No. 9 seed UCLA (52-10) in a super regional at Carolina Softball Stadium. The Gamecocks are 34-5 at home.

South Carolina was voted to finish last in the SEC but now the Gamecocks are just two wins away from advancing to the Women’s College World Series, which would be the program’s first since 1997.

Chastain Woodard, who was a pitcher for the Gamecocks from 2009-11, was hired from Charlotte and brought six players with her, including star pitcher Sam Gress, infielder Ella Chancey and home-run leader Arianna Rodi. The 2025 roster is a hodgepodge of Gamecocks who stayed through the coaching change after last season, former 49ers and other transfers.

Sixth-year outfielder Abigail Knight, a transfer from Charlotte, said looking at the roster and the 2025 season, the Gamecocks had two choices.

“Either use this time as a rebuild and use this time to grow or we could go get it right away,” Knight said. “Nobody wanted to waste any time, just tip-toeing into the season, we wanted to go get it. There’s no time like the present.”

Chastain Woodard has set a program record for the most wins for a first-year coach.

“She’s the best that I’ve ever played behind,” Knight said. “What an honor it is to follow her into battle.”

Heading into the regional final, South Carolina had to win just one game against North Florida. The Gamecocks had a game-changing two-out rally in the fifth inning where they scored six runs. In the regional, 12 of the 16 runs scored by South Carolina came with two outs.

TRUST: How South Carolina softball coach Ashley Chastain’s trust paid off vs North Florida in NCAA regional

After the win on May 17, Chastain Woodard admitted that last summer she told her team a regional appearance was attainable for this group. Now, this next achievement isn’t a surprise either.

“I think anything is possible,” Chastain Woodard said. “I have a ton of belief in the players, in the ones who stayed and the ones who came in. I knew it was definitely possible … a top-8 seed, you look around at the conference, you look around at the game right now and man, that’s really hard to do … it’s special, these are moments and weeks you’ll never forget.”

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin