Three #HeartSB Programs Set for Opening Round Action

Three #HeartSB Programs Set for Opening Round Action

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Three Heart of America programs will represent the league in the 2021 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. The eighth annual event will take place May 17-19 at ten different locations. The format is a double-elimination, four-team tournament. For more information on the host sites, click here. | Opening Round Schedule

The 40-team field is comprised of 32 automatic qualifiers and eight at-large berths. The 19 conferences receive one berth per six teams and two berths per ten teams. The at-large berths were determined by the NAIA Softball National Selection Committee.

Grand View earned an automatic bid to the event after claiming the regular season title and will appear for the 7th time in program history. Mount Mercy earned the remaining automatic bid for the conference after claiming the tournament trophy in an extra-inning thriller, clinching their first national appearance since 2010. Central Methodist, currently ranked fourth in the nation, was selected as an at-large berth.

The champions from each of the 10 opening round tournaments advance to the 40th annual NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Ga., from May 27 – June 2. These programs will participate in a double-elimination national championship at South Commons Softball Complex.

The World Series bracket will be announced late in the day on May 19 after the completion of the opening rounds on NAIA.org.


2021 Softball National Championship Opening Round Qualifiers

TeamMethod of QualificationConferenceRecordOR AppearancesLast TimeOR Record
Aquinas (Mich.)Regular Season ChampionWolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference29-101st-0-0
Bethany (Kan.)Regular Season Runner-UpKansas Collegiate Athletic Conference26-272nd20130-2
Brenau (Ga.)Tournament ChampionAppalachian Athletic Conference23-155th20193-6
Campbellsville (Ky.)Tournament ChampionMid-South Conference40-116th201910-9
Central Baptist (Ark.)Tournament Runner-UpAmerican Midwest Conference30-132nd20191-2
Central Methodist (Mo.)At-LargeHeart of America Athletic Conference49-76th201813-8
Coastal GeorgiaTournament ChampionThe Sun Conference32-111st-0-0
College of IdahoAt-LargeCascade Collegiate Conference38-164th20199-5
Columbia (Mo.)Regular Season ChampionAmerican Midwest Conference34-56th20199-6
Concordia (Neb.)Tournament Runner-UpGreat Plains Athletic Conference32-113rd20151-4
Cottey (Mo.)Tournament Runner-UpA.I.I.27-111st-0-0
Dickinson State (N.D.)Tournament ChampionNorth Star Athletic Association34-136th20184-8
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)At-LargeMid-South Conference39-114th20185-5
Georgetown (Ky.)Tournament Runner-UpMid-South Conference27-202nd20140-2
Georgia GwinnettTournament ChampionA.I.I.32-116th201912-7
Grand View (Iowa)Regular Season ChampionHeart of America Athletic Conference42-117th20195-10
Hope InternationalAt-LargeGolden State Athletic Conference28-93rd20193-4
Houston-Victoria (Texas)Tournament ChampionRed River Athletic Conference19-216th20197-10
Indiana - SoutheastTournament Runner-UpRiver States Conference45-166th20193-10
Indiana WesleyanTournament ChampionCrossroads League44-76th201910-7
Lindsey Wilson (Ky,)At-LargeMid-South Conference38-98th201914-9
Madonna (Mich.)Tournament ChampionWolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference30-85th20197-8
Marian (Ind.)Regular Season ChampionCrossroads League45-137th201914-6
Midland (Neb.)Regular Season ChampionGreat Plains Athletic Conference38-83th20192-4
Milligan (Tenn.)Regular Season ChampionAppalachian Athletic Conference29-73rd20170-4
Morningside (Iowa)At-LargeGreat Plains Athletic Conference42-96th20195-8
Mount Mercy (Iowa)Tournament ChampionHeart of America Athletic Conference33-141st-0-0
Oklahoma CityAt-LargeSooner Athletic Conference43-48th201921-3
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)Regular Season ChampionChicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference31-66th20199-8
Oregon TechTournament ChampionCascade Collegiate Conference42-87th201916-7
Ottawa (Ariz.)Tournament ChampionGolden State Athletic Conference13-141st-0-0
Ottawa (Kan.)Regular Season ChampionKansas City Collegiate Conference41-53rd20173-2
Reinhardt (Ga.)At-LargeAppalachian Athletic Conference41-136th20178-6
Rio Grande (Ohio)Regular Season ChampionRiver States Conference45-146th20196-10
Saint Katherine (Calif.)Tournament ChampionCalifornia Pacific Conference11-19-11st-0-0
Southern OregonRegular Season ChampionCascade Collegiate Conference46-55th201911-4
St. Xavier (Ill.)Tournament ChampionChicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference33-27th201913-10
Truett McConnell (Ga.)Regular Season Runner-UpAppalachian Athletic Conference31-143rd20193-4
USAO (Okla.)Tournament ChampionSooner Athletic Conference48-65th201910-5
William Carey (Miss.)Tournament ChampionSouthern States Athletic Conference39-97th201912-8