The University of North Georgia softball team has earned the top seed and will host a 2017 NCAA Regional this coming week, announced by the national office Monday morning on a live selection show on NCAA.com. The Dahlonega Regional will take place on May 11-13 at UNG's Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. The NCAA postseason appearance is the tenth consecutive for the Nighthawks and marks the eight time the team has hosted a NCAA regional in the past nine seasons.
Currently ranked third in the most recent National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll, UNG has a record of 44-10 and stands atop the final Southeast regional poll.
Traveling to Dahlonega this week will also be fourth-seeded Limestone, fifth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne and eighth-seeded North Greenville.
Limestone (43-11) will represent the Conference Carolinas after earning an at-large bid.
No. 13 Lenoir-Rhyne (46-11) also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing second in the South Atlantic Conference regular season standings.
North Greenville (35-17) is the Conference Carolinas' automatic qualifier after running through the league tournament with four consecutive victories.
Third-seeded Armstrong State (30-11) will host the other Southeast Regional in Savannah, Ga.. with second-seeded Carson-Newman (43-11), sixth-seeded Young Harris (42-12), and seventh-seeded Pfeiffer (44-6).
The winners of the two Southeast regionals will meet at the highest remaining seed on May 18-19 in a Super Regional with the winner earning a spot in the Division II Championship on May 25-29 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 North Greenville getting started at 2:00 p.m., followed by Limestone and Lenoir-Rhyne 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 $8 for adults and $5 for students. Children under the age of seven will be admitted free. Tournament passes will also be sold for $20 for adults and $10 for students.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/5/534065/no-3-ung-to-host-ncaa-division-ii-softball-regional