WCU a No. 1 seed in NCAA tourney

West Chester University’s softball squad was one of 64 teams to earn a bid to the 2017 NCAA Division II Women’s Softball Tournament, which announced its field Monday morning. The Golden Rams will be making their seventh trip overall and fifth straight to the NCAAs.

West Chester (44-10 overall), one of 24 teams to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of winning its conference title, will travel to Wise, Va., for Atlantic Region I action. The top seed, WCU has a firstround matchup Thursday with No. 8 seeded Chowan University (36-18) at 7:30 p.m. Host UVAWise (35-17) will play Shepherd (38-20) at 5 p.m.

In Atlantic Region II, secondseeded host West Virginia Wesleyan (44-7) will take on No. 7 seed Charleston (WV) (35-19) Thursday afternoon, after third-seeded Kutztown (30-15) plays sixth-seeded Bloomsburg (31-18). The winner of Atlantic Region I will play the winner of Atlantic Region II in a Super Regional May 18-19 at the site of the highest remaining seed.

The Golden Rams have participated in the NCAA Tournament six times prior to this spring, qualifying in both 2008 and 2009, before making the tournament field in each of the last four seasons. West Chester is 11-13 in those previous trips to the national tournament. Last year, the Golden Rams journeyed to Charleston, W.Va., but lost two of their three games to be eliminated.

West Chester is 3-1 against its three possible opponents this weekend. The Golden Rams swept a doubleheader from Chowan at home while splitting a doubleheader on the road at Shepherd.

Four teams will participate at each of the 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments, held May 11-13. Winners will advance to the super regionals, slated for May 18-19. The finals will be held May 25-29 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va., and will be hosted by the Mountain East Conference and the City of Salem.