ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Belhaven Softball team is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament having qualified for an NCAA Regional each of the past three seasons including a pair of regional victories in 2022 and 2023. This year's regional will provide new tests for the Blazers however as they make a trip to Washington University in St. Louisi in search of a third straight Super Regional berth.

The Blazers will square off against new faces as they head to a regional where they have only played against one other team before, a victory over Grinnell which came earlier this season. This comes in stark contrast from last season where Belhaven played in the Marshall Regional hosted by former conference foe ETBU while also matching up against Texas Lutheran, a program the Blazers had played in the Super Regional a year prior.

PUNCHING THEIR TICKET

Once again the Blazers found themselves in search of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Blazers fell in the Championship round of the CCS Softball Tournament to Maryville and the league remains without an automatic qualifier in the final year of provisional status. However, Belhaven had a strong case as the regular season came to a close after finishing the year with a 34-4 record and a share of the CCS regular season title.

The Blazers spent most of the campaign ranked inside the Top 10 of the NFCA Division III Coach's Poll and picked up multiple ranked wins throughout the year. Belhaven also found themselves in each edition of the NCAA Region VI rankings released in the final weeks of the season, including working their way up to 4th in the region heading into the Selection Show

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For a 4th straight year we are NCAA Regional bound#GoGreen | #d3sb | @BelhavenBlazers pic.twitter.com/nIEhYftSpi

— Belhaven Softball (@BelhavenSB_) May 13, 2024

THE OPPOSITION

Top Seed - Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, Mo.)
Overall Record: 26-10 (15-5 UAA)
Bid: UAA Champion
Matchup Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: None
Players to Watch: OF Sydney Schneider, P Maria Brooks

Third Seed - Grinnell College (Grinnell, Iowa)
Overall Record: 27-14 (13-3 MWC)
Bid: MWC Tournament Champion
Matchup Record: 1-0 
Last Meeting: February 25, 2024 (W, 7-4)
Players to Watch: OF Hannah Dykstra, IF Samantha Chu

Fourth Seed - Greenville University (Greenville, Ill.)
Overall Record: 34-8 (12-4 SLIAC)
Bid: SLIAC Tournament Champion
Matchup Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: None
Players to Watch: P/IF Sydney Garrett, C Natalee Moore

REGIONAL FORMAT

The Blazers will open up their regional weekend against No. 3 seed Grinnell, the only opposition the Blazers have faced before. Belhaven and Grinnell will square off in St. Louis on Thursday at 3:30 PM. 

The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 1 seed Wash U and No. 4 seed Greenville on Friday while the teams that come up short in those matchups will square off in an elimination game on Friday.

NEED TO KNOW

Live Stats
Live Stream
Regional Central
Regional Notes
Regional Brackets

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