May 10, 2010

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially released the field of 32 teams for the 30th Annual NAIA Softball National Championship, held May 20 - 26 at the Wilson Morgan Softball Complex in Decatur, Ala. The pool play schedule for the event will be announced Tuesday afternoon.

Oklahoma City is the longest attending team, qualifying for the 24th time overall and 18th consecutive season. Not only do the Stars have the most championship appearances among the field, but also have won eight National Championships with the last coming in 2007. The Stars captured their third straight Sooner Athletic Conference title to punch their ticket to Decatur.

Defending national champion California Baptist is one of three other teams among the field that has won a title. The Lancers are joined by three-time champ Simon Fraser (B.C.) and 2008 titlist Lubbock Christian (Texas).

Six teams will be attending their first NAIA Softball National Championship: Belhaven (Miss.), California State-San Marcos, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Minot State (N.D.), and Union (Ky.).

Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament champion Mount Mercy (Iowa) qualified for its fourth trip to the National Championship, but first since 1990. The Mustangs are the only team to previously play in the event and not make an appearance during the 2000s.

The 32-team field is comprised of 26 automatic qualifiers from NAIA affiliated conferences, Association of Independent Institutions and unaffiliated groupings and six at-large selections, which were determined using the final Top 25 rating released on May 4.

For more information on the Championship | click here
For complete conference tournament breakdown | click here
For the final Top 25 poll | click here