NCAA announces Division II Softball Championship selections

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division II Softball Committee has selected the 64 teams that will participate in the 2016 NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Four teams will participate at each of the 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments, held May 5-7. Winners will advance to the super regionals, slated for May 11-12. The finals will be held May 17- 21 at the Regency Athletic Complex Softball Field in Denver and will be hosted by Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Denver Sports Commission as part of the Division II National Championships Festival.

West Virginia Wesleyan (Atlantic), Southern Arkansas (Central), Caldwell (East), Indianapolis (Midwest), North Alabama (South), West Texas A&M (South Central), North Georgia (Southeast) and Humboldt State (West) earned the top seeds in their respective regions.

Interactive Bracket

Twenty-four conferences received automatic qualification into the 2016 championship. Each conference and its automatic qualifier are listed below:

California Collegiate Athletic Association – University of California, San Diego
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference – Wilmington University (Delaware)
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State University
Conference Carolinas – Pfeiffer University
East Coast Conference – Molloy College

Great American Conference – Southern Arkansas University

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wayne State University (Michigan)
Great Lakes Valley Conference – University of Indianapolis

Great Midwest Athletic Conference – Trevecca Nazarene University

Great Northwest Athletic Conference – Central Washington University

Gulf South Conference – University of North Alabama
Heartland Conference – Lubbock Christian University

Lone Star Conference – West Texas A&M University

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Missouri Western State University
Mountain East Conference – West Virginia Wesleyan College

Northeast-10 Conference – Pace University

Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Upper Iowa University

Pacific West Conference – Azusa Pacific University

Peach Belt Conference – University of North Georgia

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Metropolitan State University of Denver
South Atlantic Conference – Catawba College

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic – Tuskegee University

Sunshine State Conference – Saint Leo University

In the 2015 championship, the University of North Georgia captured its first national championship title with a 5-0 victory over Dixie State University.

SITES/PAIRINGS:
*Denotes host institution

Atlantic 1 Regional at Buckhannon, W.Va.

1. West Va. Wesleyan* 50-8

4. Bloomsburg 44-7

5. California (PA) 35-4
8. Winston-Salem 30-21

Atlantic 2 Regional at Charleston, W.Va.

2. Charleston (WV)* 45-9

3. West Chester 46-7 

6. Kutztown 31-15
7. Lock Haven 36-17

Central 1 Regional at Russellville, Ark.

1. Arkansas Tech 46-9*
2. Minnesota St. 44-15
3. Northwest Mo. St. 37-14
4. Upper Iowa 39-16

Central 2 Regional at Magnolia, Ark.

1. Southern Ark 46-9
2. Mo. Western St. 43-11
3. Minn. Duluth 35-15
4. Central Okla 39-18