May 4, 2008

The Wayne State University softball team was seeded fourth today in the Great Lakes Region by the NCAA Division II softball selection committee.

Regional host SIU-Edwardsville received the top seed after winning the GLVC tournament. GLVC regular-season champion Lewis University was seeded second.

Saginaw Valley, the GLIAC tournament champion, was the No. 3 seed, while WAYNE STATE, the GLIAC co- regular-season champion was the fourth seed.

Indianapolis, who finished third in the GLVC tournament was the fifth seed, with Ferris State, the co-GLIAC regular-season champion, the No. 6 seed.

Rounding out the eight team field was WVIAC regular-season champion West Virginia Wesleyan, while West Virginia State, the WVIAC tournament champion, captured the eighth seed by earning the WVIAC automatic bid.

Teams will practice on Tuesday at Cougar Field, with game competition beginning on Wednesday.

Games will be played at 9:30, noon, 2:30 and 5 p.m. Central time on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Saturday game times are noon and 2:30 p.m. with the "if necessary" championship game slated for Sunday at noon.

The NCAA Great Lakes Region champion will advance to the NCAA College World Series in Houston, Texas, on May 14-17.

This is the third consecutive year Wayne State has qualified for the NCAA tournament and the fifth time in the last seven years. For head coach Gary Bryce, it will be his 14th NCAA tournament appearance.