ATHENS, Ga. --- There's only one person associated with the Georgia softball program who has ever been to the Women's College World Series in an official capacity, and that's Lu Harris-Champer, who coached Southern Mississippi to college softball's biggest and most important stage.

Predictably, she's taking a low-key approach to this occasion, the first time in the program's 13-year history it has qualified for the World Series, which the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (44-10) open at 1 p.m. today against third-seeded Washington (46-11) at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

"It's exciting, a great place to play ball," Harris-Champer said. "The field is awesome, the setting is awesome. I'm thrilled to be back. I'm excited for this team and I want them to soak it up and enjoy every minute of it."

Making its eighth consecutive postseason appearance, Georgia has been tantalizingly close to the World Series on two previous occasions (2005, 2008), both of which were thwarted by UCLA -- one of which involved a former player now serving on the Bulldogs' coaching staff.

In 2005, after claiming the Athens Regional over Georgia Tech, Georgia traveled to UCLA for the Los Angeles Super Regional, winning the first game before dropping the next two.

Former All-America pitcher Michelle Green, an assistant coach whose name is etched in the Georgia record books for most wins (104), ERA (1.30), shutouts (47.5) and strikeouts (1,070), was a senior on that team and recalled the disappointment of not qualifying for the series.

"It's exciting to be a member of this program," said Green, who will be leaving Georgia at the conclusion of the World Series to take over the softball program at Oconee County High School. "I would have loved to have gone as a player, but at the same point, past players have to build for the future. We've finally built it for 2009.

"I'm happy for the girls and I'm happy to be a part of it in any way I can," Green said.