May 8, 2006

The Wayne State University softball team (32-24) will be making its 12th NCAA tournament appearance under head coach Gary Bryce as the Warriors will play Southern Indiana (37-16) on Thursday in the opening round in Edwardsville, Ill.

WSU is seeded sixth in the region after placing second in the GLIAC tournament last weekend in Midland. The Warriors were the GLIAC regular-season co-champions with Northwood after compiling a 15-5 league record. The Screaming Eagles placed second during the GLVC (Great Lakes Valley Conference) regular season with a 17-5 mark and finished fourth in the GLVC tournament last weekend in East Peoria, Ill.

SIU-Edwardsville (46-8) will be the regional host after winning both the GLVC regular-season title (16-4) and the GLVC tournament. The Cougars will face Grand Valley State (34-19), the GLIAC tournament champions and No. 8 seed in the region.

In the top half of the bracket with Wayne State are No. 2 seed Gannon (39-16) and No. 7 seed West Virginia Wesleyan (39-22). The Golden Knights tied for third in the GLIAC regular season (14-6) and finished third in the GLIAC tournament. The Lady Bobcats of WVWC won both the WVIAC regular-season title and tournament championship.

Joining SIUE and GVSU in the bottom half of the bracket are two GLVC squads, the Lewis Flyers (39-13) and Northern Kentucky Norse (38-19).

The winner of the Great Lakes Region will advance to the NCAA Division II Softball College World Series slated for May 18-22 in Salem, Va.