University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Softball Set To Host NCAA Regional
May 14, 2006 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. --- The NCAA Division I Softball Committee announced on Sunday that the Georgia Bulldogs will compete in the May 19-21 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Georgia regional.
The Bulldogs, who earned their fifth straight NCAA Tournament bid, were selected as one of 16 regional hosts for the tournament.
Georgia (51-13) will open the NCAA Tournament against fourth-seeded Georgia Southern (34-33) at 7:30 p.m. EDT., on Friday. Georgia Southern enters the regional with an automatic qualification after winning the Southern Conference Tournament championship.
The Georgia regional also includes second-seeded Florida State (41-26) and third-seeded Coastal Carolina (39-20). The Seminoles and the Lady Chanticleers will meet in first round action on Friday at 5 p.m. EDT.
Georgia has a 2-0 record against teams in its 2006 regional, highlighted by a doubleheader sweep over Georgia Southern on April 19.
Twenty-nine conferences were awarded automatic qualification, and the remaining 35 slots were filled with at-large selections to complete the bracket. The top 16 teams were seeded nationally and will play at campus sites this weekend.
Team pairings were determined by geographical proximity, with the exception that teams from the same conference were not paired during regional
competition, when possible.
The Pacific 10 led all conferences with seven teams in the championship, while the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC placed six teams. Fresno State remains the only team to be selected to all 25 championships. Eight teams are making their initial appearances in the tournament: North Carolina State, Youngstown State, Tulsa, Georgia Southern, Portland State, Southern Utah, Nevada and Marist.
All games will be played in Georgia's multi-million dollar softball stadium that accommodates approximately 1,400 fans. The facility features connecting dugouts, new locker rooms, and a state-of-the-art press box.
All-tournament passes for the 2006 NCAA Softball Regional at Georgia are currently on sale with chairback seats $30 and general admission seats $24.
Passes can be purchased at the Georgia Ticket Office (877-542-1231) or on www.georgiadogs.com. Single day tickets will be available on the day of the competition - $10 for chairback seats, $8 for general admission, and $3 for ages seven and below. Groups of 20 or more can purchase tickets for $5 a person.
The 24th NCAA Women's College World Series begins Thursday, June 1, at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The University of Georgia security procedures and policies will be in effect for the tournament. The following items will not be allowed inside the Georgia Softball Stadium: alcoholic beverages, artificial noisemakers, banners, coolers, drinks, food, large flags and signs, pets, and any object deemed hazardous by Georgia event staff personnel.