LOUISVILLE, KY. — Twenty-one teams will converge on the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga., for the NAIA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 25-27.

Those teams will be hoping to return to the same location for the end of their season as well, as South Commons will be hosting the NAIA World Series for the second-straight year on May 26 - June 1.

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Fourteen of the squads head into the event ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll, led by No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, which went 44-9 a year ago. Campbellsville (41-13) and Georgia Gwinnett (33-13) are ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, while Freed-Hardeman (41-13) is 15th, William Carey (39-11) is 16th and Cumberlands (41-16) is 22nd. Aquinas (29-10), Coastal Georgia (34-13), IU Southeast (48-18), Mobile (28-20), Reinhardt (42-15), Rio Grande (47-16), Taylor (43-18) and Truett McConnell (32-16)all garnered votes.

Among the participants, 11 played in the 2021 NAIA Tournament Opening Round: Brenau, Campbellsville, Coastal Georgia, Freed-Hardeman, Georgia Gwinnett, IU Southeast, Indiana Wesleyan, Reinhardt, Rio Grande, Truett McConnell and William Carey.