The CMU softball team accomplished Wednesday what most CMU teams never
have the opportunity or the ability to do.

It beat a No. 1-ranked team.

The women in Maroon and Gold defeated the top-ranked University of
Michigan 5-4. (The CMU baseball team lost to a lesser-lauded UM men’s
baseball team 7-2 the same afternoon.)

It was the first time since 2000 CMU earned a victory in its annual
meeting with the Wolverines, proving rankings are only as strong as the
paper on which they are printed.

While the football team deals with the alleged criminal activity of
its star halfback and the baseball team is yet to record a MAC win, CMU
softball provides a pleasant and justifiable distraction.

The win adds another name to a small tally of CMU softball wins
against top five teams.

Last year, the team defeated then-ranked No. 4 Washington and
No. 5 Oklahoma.

Under the 26-season leadership of Margo Jonker, a nine-time
Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, the Chippewas have never had
a losing season and every four-year player has left with at least one
championship ring.

Since 1997, the softball team has won four MAC championships and
five conference tournament titles. It made a record four back-to-back
visits to the NCAA Tournament from 1999-2002. Last year it received the
first at-large NCAA Tournament bid ever granted to a MAC school after
it fell out of the MAC Tournament.

Few can argue CMU softball is not one of the university and the
nation’s best teams, a team that consistently brings home
championships, something some CMU teams could learn something about.

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