Former Fatima star to return back to Mid-Missouri for NCAA Regionals

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Fatima softball standout Sammey Bunch will return back to Mid-Missouri this weekend. The Northern Iowa shortstop will be competing in NCAA Regionals at Mizzou Stadium.

"It's just really special for me to be able to play so close to home," Bunch said on a Zoom news conference Tuesday. "It's just a really special and humbling moment for sure."

Northern Iowa will open up against Iowa State on Friday at 1 p.m. Mizzou and University of Illinois-Chicago are the other two teams in the regional. It's a double elimination tournament, so Bunch is guaranteed to play at least two games.

Bunch was recently named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year. The redshirt senior is batting .441 with 21 home runs this season.

"Looking at what I've accomplished throughout my career is unreal, and I just give thanks to all of the people around me for pushing me to be my best and really making sure I get the most out of every day," Bunch said.