The University of North Georgia softball team has earned the top seed and will host a 2018 NCAA Regional this coming week, announced by the national office Monday on a live selection show on NCAA.com. The Dahlonega Regional will take place on May 10-12 at UNG's Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. The NCAA postseason appearance is the 11th consecutive for the Nighthawks and marks the ninth time the team has hosted a NCAA regional in the past 10 seasons.
Currently atop the rankings in the most recent National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll, UNG has a record of 56-2 and stands atop the final Southeast regional poll.
Traveling to Dahlonega this week will also be fourth-seeded Coker, fifth-seeded Queens (N.C.) and eighth-seeded King.
Coker (35-16) and Queens (35-15) will represent the South Atlantic Conference after earning at-large bids.
King (34-20) is the Conference Carolinas' automatic qualifier after running through the league tournament with four consecutive victories.
Second-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne (42-8) will host the other Southeast Regional in Hickory, North Carolina, with third-seeded Georgia College (36-14), sixth-seeded Carson-Newman (32-19), and seventh-seeded Young Harris (32-18).
The winners of the two Southeast regionals will meet at the highest remaining seed on May 17-18 in a Super Regional with the winner earning a spot in the Division II Championship on May 24-28 at the 2017 NCAA Division II Championship at the James Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
The double-elimination tournament will start on Thursday in Dahlonega, with UNG and King getting started at 2:00 p.m., followed by Coker and Queens at 4:30 p.m.
There will be a total of six games played guaranteed, with the possibility of a seventh if necessary. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under the age of seven will be admitted free. Tournament passes will also be sold for $25 for adults and $10 for students.
