Softball? Check

The Cal State Fullerton softball team is headed for its first NCAA Super Regional and a best-of-three matchup against No. 4-ranked Arizona beginning this afternoon in Tucson, a seminal moment for Ashley Van Boxmeer and her teammates.

Last weekend, the Titans (38-21) upset two nationally ranked teams -- Virginia Tech and host Ohio State (twice) -- to advance. “We’re on ESPN,” Van Boxmeer said after an afternoon workout this week. “National television, baby!”

But before the senior outfielder talked more about softball -- how she is playing on two surgically rebuilt knees, how she has 32 career home runs, how she was selected to the All-Big West Conference first team for the second consecutive season, and how she is second on her team with a .301 batting average, nine home runs and a .479 slugging percentage -- Van Boxmeer needed to unload some pent-up hockey frustration.

“I want to body-check somebody into the boards,” she said, punctuating her words by miming the way she’d knock a skater into a lump on the ice. “I love hockey.”

Van Boxmeer, a graduate of Orange El Modena High and a transfer from New Mexico three years ago, has a natural affinity for hockey.

Her father, John Van Boxmeer, won a Stanley Cup while playing with Montreal in 1976. He played in the NHL 12 seasons for four teams (Montreal, Colorado, Buffalo and Quebec) and coached the Sabres for two seasons. He also coached the minor league Long Beach Ice Dogs and was Andy Murray’s assistant for the Kings during the 2003-2004 season.

John now coaches a team in Bern, Switzerland, half the year and spends the other half at home in Orange and playing golf at the Yorba Linda Country Club.

While his 19-year-old son, Hank, is playing junior hockey in Canada for a team partly owned by Murray, college softball is what currently keeps John hyped up.

In Ashley, her father recognizes a competitive streak that can make for a despairing loser and fierce winner. When Fullerton lost its first game of the regional last week, falling to Ohio State, 2-1, Ashley called her dad. “No sympathy at all,” Ashley said. “He told me pouting was for losers and to get out there and win. I don’t call my dad when I want my hand held. I call him for a kick in the butt.”

Ashley was born in Buffalo, N.Y., when her dad was playing for the Sabres, and she has skated for as long as she can remember. Her favorite childhood memories came when John coached the Ice Dogs. “Me and Hank would keep a pair of skates in his office,” she said. “After games, while my dad was schmoozing ticket-holders, we’d get to lace up and get on the ice. I’d run into the boards like it was a real game.”

But John was a hockey lifer who couldn’t fathom seeing his daughter knock boys into the boards. He didn’t let Ashley play hockey, a ban both now regret.

“There were lots of other sports to play,” John said. “At the time when Ashley was growing up, a lot of girls had to play on boys’ hockey teams. For me, it’s one thing when she was playing with boys 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -- but when you get to be 14, 15, that’s when the problems start.

“Who knew women’s hockey would grow up? She would have been a good hockey player. She wants to punish you.”

Ashley was left to channel her competitive fury into swimming, soccer, volleyball and softball. Her mother, Judy, a flight attendant from Placentia, pushed softball.

About the time in high school Van Boxmeer was deciding volleyball was her best sport, she sustained a knee injury and missed her junior season. The timing of her recovery made softball her best sport by default.

She earned a scholarship to New Mexico but transferred to Fullerton after a season. “The team just wasn’t as competitive as I would have liked,” she said.

While sitting out a season after her transfer, Van Boxmeer tore up the other knee. Her father “wondered if she’d do all the work again and come back. But she did. She’s a fighter.”

The winner of the Super Regional advances to the Women’s College World Series beginning May 31. Fullerton hasn’t reached the tournament finals since 1995, but with UCLA, Stanford and California all eliminated the first week, the Titans are the only California team still playing. “That’s kind of sweet,” Van Boxmeer said. “I have friends on all those teams but ... it is sweet. We’re the unexpected ones here.”

So for now, with a championship to chase, Van Boxmeer will put aside thoughts of body checking.

diane.pucin@latimes.com