Softball National Championship Qualifiers Revealed
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Opening Round Schedule] The NAIA has announced the 40-team field and pairings for the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. The 9th annual event takes place May 16-18 at 10 host sites. Each of the 10 locations features a four-team, double-elimination tournament.
The 10 opening round champions will battle for the red banner at the 41st annual NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Ga., May 26 – June 1. For more information on the World Series, click here.
The field consists of 33 automatic qualifiers – given to conference regular-season champions, tournament champions or tournament runners-up – and seven at-large teams. Conferences with 10-or-more members receive two automatic qualifiers, while leagues with less than 10 get one.
At-large teams were determined by the NAIA Softball National Selection Committee (NSC). The NSC consists of one representative from each geographic area, a representative from the National Administrative Council, a member of the NAIA-Softball Coaches Association Executive Committee and three at-large members. The committee evaluated teams throughout the year on various criteria.
For more information on NAIA Softball, click here.
|
Institution |
Qualifying Method |
2022 Record |
Last Time |
Appearances |
Opening Round Record |
OR Titles |
| Bryan (Tenn.) | Appalachian Regular Season Champion | 30-16 | 2014 | 2 | 2-1 | 0 |
| Campbellsville (Ky.) | At-Large | 37-16 | 2021 | 7 | 11-11 | 1 |
| Central Methodist (Mo.) | Heart Regular Season/Tournament Champion | 40-5 | 2021 | 7 | 14-10 | 1 |
| Coastal Georgia | At-Large | 38-12 | 2021 | 2 | 2-2 | 0 |
| College of Idaho | Cascade Tournament Runner-Up | 41-15 | 2021 | 4 | 8-5 | 1 |
| Columbia (Mo.) | AMC Regular Season/Tournament Champion | 33-10 | 2021 | 7 | 10-8 | 1 |
| Cottey (Mo.) | Continental Tournament Runner-Up | 30-15 | 2021 | 2 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Eastern Oregon | At-Large | 41-15 | 2018 | 3 | 0-4 | 0 |
| Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | Cal Pac Tournament Champion | 40-3 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) | Mid-South Tournament Champion | 48-3 | 2021 | 5 | 7-2 | 0 |
| Friends (Kan.) | KCAC Tournament Champion | 30-19 | 2019 | 5 | 1-8 | 0 |
| Georgia Gwinnett | Continental Tournament Champion | 35-18 | 2021 | 7 | 13-9 | 2 |
| Grand View (Iowa) | Heart Regular Season Runner-Up | 42-9 | 2021 | 8 | 7-12 | 0 |
| Indiana Wesleyan | Crossroads Regular Season/Tournament Champion | 50-8 | 2021 | 7 | 10-9 | 1 |
| Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | Mid-South Tournament Runner-Up | 38-15 | 2021 | 9 | 15-11 | 3 |
| Madonna (Mich.) | WHAC Regular Season Champion | 31-7 | 2021 | 6 | 10-9 | 0 |
| Marian (Ind.) | At-Large | 40-11 | 2021 | 8 | 14-8 | 3 |
| Michigan-Dearborn | WHAC Tournament Champion | 30-11 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Midland (Neb.) | GPAC Regular Season Champion | 36-10 | 2021 | 4 | 4-6 | 0 |
| Mobile (Ala.) | SSAC Tournament Champion | 46-2 | 2019 | 5 | 12-3 | 2 |
| Mount Marty (S.D.) | GPAC Tournament Champion | 32-14 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Oklahoma City | Sooner Tournament Champion | 47-6 | 2021 | 9 | 22-5 | 6 |
| Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | Chicagoland Tournament Runner-Up | 33-13-1 | 2021 | 7 | 12-8 | 1 |
| Oregon Tech | Cascade Regular Season/Tournament Champion | 46-10 | 2021 | 8 | 19-7 | 3 |
| Ottawa (Kan.) | KCAC Regular Season Champion | 35-13-1 | 2021 | 4 | 6-2 | 2 |
| Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | Red River Top Overall Record | 44-11 | 2014 | 2 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Rio Grande (Ohio) | River States Regular Season Champion | 39-13 | 2021 | 7 | 8-12 | 0 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.) | River States Tournament Champion | 29-12 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Saint Xavier (Ill.) | Chicagoland Regular Season/Tournament Champion | 36-6 | 2021 | 8 | 16-12 | 2 |
| Science & Arts (Okla.) | At-Large | 47-8 | 2021 | 6 | 11-7 | 2 |
| Southeastern (Fla.) | The Sun Regular Season Champion | 46-10 | 2018 | 5 | 6-6 | 1 |
| Southern Oregon | At-Large | 46-12 | 2021 | 6 | 15-4 | 3 |
| Taylor (Ind.) | Crossroads Tournament Runner-Up | 26-27 | 2019 | 4 | 3-6 | 0 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan | Appalachian Tournament Champion | 34-7 | 2015 | 2 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Texas A&M Texarkana | Red River Tournament Champion | 42-12 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Valley City State (N.D.) | North Star Tournament Champion | 33-16 | 2019 | 2 | 3-0 | 1 |
| Webber International (Fla.) | The Sun Tournament Champion | 39-21 | 2016 | 2 | 3-0 | 1 |
| William Carey (Miss.) | At-Large | 45-9 | 2021 | 8 | 12-10 | 2 |
| William Jessup (Calif.) | GSAC Tournament Champion | 36-13 | N/A | 1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| William Woods (Mo.) | AMC Tournament Runner-Up | 23-23 | 2019 | 4 | 1-6 | 0 |
Opening Round Notes
- Overall, there are 23 repeat qualifiers from the 2021 opening round, including six teams that won opening round titles last season – College of Idaho, Madonna (Mich.), Olivet Nazarene, Oregon Tech, Ottawa (Kan.) and Southern Oregon.
- Indiana Wesleyan is the lone team in the field with 50 or more wins at 50-8 overall. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) has the next highest win total at 48-3.
- Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Oklahoma City are back in the field for a 9th time, which leads the field. These two clubs are the only NAIA teams to have participated in every event since the format was established in 2013.
- There are six newcomers to the opening round in this year’s field in Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), Michigan-Dearborn, Mount Marty (S.D.), Saint Mary of the Woods (Ind.), Texas A&M Texarkana and William Jessup (Calif.).
- Oklahoma City has the honor of the most opening round championships with six. 20 teams in the 2022 field have at least one opening round championship to their credit.
- The Cascade Collegiate Conference leads all leagues with four teams in the 2022 field. The Crossroads League, Mid-South Conference and The Sun Conference followed with three each.
- All-Time Opening Round Record by Seed
- No. 1-Seed: 190-75 (.712)
- No. 2 seed: 148-132 (.529)
- No. 3 seed: 97-143 (.404)
- No. 4 seed: 57-146 (.281)
- All-Time Opening Round Host Records
- 2013 Hosts: 24-12 (.667)
- 2014 Hosts: 27-7 (.794)
- 2015 Hosts: 27-9 (.750)
- 2016 Hosts: 22-11 (.667)
- 2017 Hosts: 18-13 (.581)
- 2018 Hosts: 16-8 (.667)
- 2019 Hosts: 20-6 (.762)
- 2020 Hosts: 11-16 (.407)
- TOTAL: 165-82 (.668)
