By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team has earned its sixth NCAA postseason appearance in program history as the squad was named the No. 6 seed in the upcoming NCAA Central Regional Monday morning.
The Ichabods will face Central Oklahoma in the opening round in Claremore, Okla. with Rogers State serving as the host site for one of the two four-team tournaments beginning on Thursday.
Starting times will be announced soon.
Pittsburg State will host the other site. The winner of the two tournaments will then face off in a best two-of-three series with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division II Softball World Series in Longwood, Fla.
In Claremore, the four teams include Rogers State, which won the MIAA Tournament Championship as the No. 2 seed. Central Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed with the Ichabods seeded sixth and Southern Nazarene is the No. 7 seed.
In Pittsburg, the Gorillas are the No. 1 overall seed in the region, and joining Pittsburg State will be No. 4 seed Augustana, No. 5 seed Oklahoma Baptist and No. 8 seed Southern Arkansas.
The Ichabods have made NCAA postseason appearances in 1999, 2006, 2008, 2018, 2022, and now 2024, with the last three berths coming under head coach Brenda Holaday.
NCAA Central Regional Seeds
1. Pittsburg State
2. Rogers State
3. Central Oklahoma
4. Augustana
5. Oklahoma Baptist
6. Washburn
7. Southern Nazarene
8. Southern Arkansas