The College of Staten Island women’s softball squad clinched their fourth-straight CUNYAC Championship just yesterday and has learned their fate for the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. The Dolphins will travel to The College of New Jersey and will take on the hosts in the opening round of Regional play. Manhattanville College and Neumann College are the other squads that will face off in the double-elimination regional which kicks off on Friday.
Depending on how the Dolphins fare on Friday against the host Lions, they will compete again on Saturday as part of winner’s or loser’s bracket extended play. The winners of Regional play will the advance to Super Regionals, leading to the top eight schools advancing to the final round of play.
The Dolphins are making their 9th trip to the NCAA National Championship, having won their first tournament game since 2007 just last year over NJAC-power William Paterson. The CUNYAC tournament wins moved CSI to 25-12. Although they did not face TCNJ, they were 5-3 against the NJAC this season.
TCNJ is a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, and sport a 28-14 record this season, falling to Rowan in the NJAC Championship. The two teams have only met once for a doubleheader back in March of 2007. The Lions took both wins, 1-0, and 14-3.
CSI has never faced Neumann College before. They enter 26-14, winners of the Colonial States Athletic Conference. CSI is 7-5 all-time against Manhattanville, who enter with a regional-best 39-2 record and as the highest scoring team in the nation. The Valiants and Knights face off on Friday in their half of the bracket.
Be sure to follow the latest scheduling and media information, including live statistics and live video/audio of the championship through www.csidolphins.com throughout the week.
