The road to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship started today on eight campus sites across the nation. For the complete listing of pairings in the 64-team field spread over eight regional sites, Click Here
The Great Lakes Regional is hosted by top seed and defending NCAA Champion SIU-Edwardsville. The Cougars are ranked No. 7 in this week’s NFCA Division II poll and hold a 45-9 record entering tournament play.
The No. 1 team in this week’s NFCA Division II Coaches Poll, Lock Haven is the top seed at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted by Kutztown. Second-seed Bloomsburg is ranked at No. 10 in the NFCA poll, while the host Golden Bears are the third-seeded team in the regional and are ranked 16th in the latest NFCA poll.
The North Central Regional also has three teams ranked in this week’s poll, top seeded host Emporia State checks in at No. 6, while second seed Southwest Minnesota State is 12th and third seeded Central Missouri is tied for 24th.
In the Northeast, LIU-C.W. Post is the top seeded team and plays host to the Regional. Post is the ninth-ranked team in this week’s coaches poll. The 4-5 game in that regional also features two ranked teams with fifth seeded and 17th-ranked Georgian Court facing fourth seeded and No. 23 Caldwell.
Two of the NFCA poll’s top-three teams are facing off this week in the South Region as top-seeded and third-ranked Barry plays host to that Regional tournament. Second-seeded Alabama-Huntsville edged Barry for the No. 2 spot in the poll by just one point. The regional’s third and fourth seeds also appear in the NFCA poll with third-seeded St. Leo ranked 19th and fourth-seeded Tampa tied for 24th.
Carson Newman, the No. 1 seeded team in the South Atlantic Regional, travels to second-seeded UNC Pembroke this week where the 13th-ranked Braves open tournament play against Armstrong Atlantic. Third-seeded Lenoir Rhyne is also ranked in the NFCA poll, checking in at No. 20.
Four ranked teams also appear in the South Central Regional. No. 5 Angelo State is the top seed and host for this regional that also features second-seeded No. 11 St. Mary’s (Texas), third-seeded and No. 14 Southeastern Oklahoma and fourth seed/No. 22 St. Edward’s.
In the West, No. 8 Humboldt State plays host to a regional that also features No. 18 and second-seeded Cal State Stanislaus.
Tournament play opened this morning and will continue through either Saturday or Sunday. Regional Championships that do not require the “if necessary” game will conclude on Saturday while any necessary “Game 15s” will be played on Sunday.
The winners of each of the eight regionals will advance to the NCAA Division II Championship, which will take place May 14-17 in Houston.
