North Georgia will play host to NCAA softball regional

DAHLONEGA -- The NCAA announced Monday morning in a live selection show that top-ranked North Georgia will be one of 16 host sites for the 2010 NCAA Division II Softball Championships which will be played around the country May 14-16.

The four-team tournament at North Georgia will be one of two host sites in the Southeast Region as Lenoir-Rhyne will host four teams as well. The winner of each regional will advance to the NCAA Super Regional May 21-22, with the Super Regional champion advancing to the NCAA Division II College World Series in St. Joseph, Missouri, May 27-31, at Heritage Park.

North Georgia will be the top overall seed in the Dahlonega Regional, hosting and matching up with No. 8 seed Queens University of Charlotte in the opening round, while No. 4 Francis Marion will take on No. 5 Carson-Newman at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium on the opening day of the NCAA Southeast Regional in Dahlonega.

The Saints enter the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid from the Peach Belt Conference, capturing their second straight regular season and tournament championship. The Saints have been ranked atop the NFCA Division II Poll in every regular season ranking this season and are currently the only undefeated team in the country at 45-0.

The Patriots enter the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid as the No. 4 seed in the Southeast Regional after finishing the season at 34-14 overall. The Patriots were runner-up in the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship, winning four of their last six games as the Patriots are just two years removed from advancing to the Division II World Series in 2008.

The Eagles enter the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid as the No. 5 seed in the Southeast Region after finishing the season at 36-10 overall. The Eagles were runner-up in the South Atlantic Conference regular season race and SAC Tournament Championship.

The Royals enter the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid from the Conference Carolinas as the No. 8 seed after capturing their second straight tournament championship. At 26-23 on the season, the Royals are winners of four straight games, including a pair of nine-inning thrillers over Limestone to capture the Conference Carolinas tournament title and head to their second straight NCAA Southeast Regional.

Four teams will participate at each of 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments across the country May 8-10.