By Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Communications & Sports Information

Pool Play & Bracket Schedule | PDF

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially released the pool play schedule for the 2012 NAIA Softball National Championship, held May 17 - 23 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, Ala. There are eight pools of four teams apiece, who will play three games from May 17 - 19. The winner of each pool will advance to an eight-team double-elimination bracket that will be played out May 21 - 23. The 32nd annual national champion will be awarded on May 23 from the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

The event is hosted by the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission, in conjunction with the University of Mobile (Ala.), for the second-straight year.

The tournament kicks-off between Brenau (Ga.) and Bethany (Kan.) at 9 a.m. CDT on May 17. Day 1 is also highlighted by defending national champion Oregon Tech facing Madonna (Mich.) at 5:30 p.m. No. 1-ranked Concordia (Calif.) tussles with first-timer Talladega (Ala.) at 2 p.m.

Talladega is one of six rookies in the field, joining Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), Bethany, Indiana Wesleyan, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and Williams Baptist (Ark.). Conversely, there are 12 programs making at least their fifth National Championship. Of those teams, only Oklahoma City and Mobile are playing in the event for at least the 10th time.

Qualifying for its record 21st-straight National Championship, Oklahoma City owns the most national championships (8). With a 40-18 season record, the Stars have won more postseason games than any school (103-38) and seek their first title since 2007.

The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), which has repeatedly landed six teams in the Coaches' Top 25 poll, qualified the most of any conference / independent / unaffiliated group with six. Representing the SSAC is Auburn Montgomery, Brenau, Lee (Tenn.), Mobile, Shorter (Ga.) and William Carey (Miss.). The Sooner Athletic Conference sends four teams to Gulf Shores: Lubbock Christian (Texas), Oklahoma City, St. Gregory's (Okla.) and Southern Nazarene (Okla.).

The current field is comprised of 23 automatic qualifiers based upon their conference / independent / unaffiliated group tournaments, eight at-large selections, which were determined using the final Top 25 rating released Tuesday and the host berth, Mobile.

NeuLion, the NAIA's digital media partner and official video-streaming company of 10 select NAIA National Championship events, will be broadcasting select softball games from May 21 - 23. Once competition has pared down to six teams, starting with Game 9 at 5:30 p.m. on May 21, live streaming will be available for $9.95 per day or $29.95 for the whole event. For more video-streaming information, click here.

For more information on the Championship, click here.