The Linfield Wildcats have been selected to host a four-team NCAA Division III regional playoff tournament starting on Thursday, May 14. The NCAA announced the full 64-team tournament field Monday morning.
 
Reaching the NCAA postseason for the 21st time in the last 22 seasons, Linfield (37-6) will play Marymount (24-17) at 11 a.m. PDT Thursday in a double-elimination tournament. Pacific Lutheran (34-10) is paired with Transylvania (35-11) in Thursday's other opening-round game at 1:30 p.m.
 
After finishing second during the Northwest Conference regular season, Linfield went 3-0 at the NWC Tournament, topping regular-season champion Pacific Lutheran on Championship Sunday to claim the program's 13th NWC Tournament title and the league's automatic berth to the regional playoffs.
 
Statistically, Linfield enters the NCAA Tournament leading NCAA Division III in home runs (58), and ranks second nationally in RBIs per game (7.60), third in runs scored (349), fourth in doubles (89), and seventh in slugging percentage (.569).
 
Claiming an at-large berth, PLU is making its first NCAA playoff appearance since winning the Division III championship in 2012.
 
Marymount University, located in Arlington, Virginia, won its second consecutive Atlantic East Conference tournament championship to secure the league's automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs. The Saints' softball program is in just its fifth season of existence since launching the program in 2022.
 
Transylvania University, located in Lexington, Kentucky, finished as runner-up to Earlham at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, but qualified for the NCAA playoffs as at-large team.
 
The Division III championship tournament is comprised of 16 four-team regionals using a double-elimination playoff format. Sixteen teams advance from the regional round to compete in eight two-team, best-of-three Super Regionals, May 21-22, at campus sites. The championship finals take place May 28-June 3 at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.
 
A full tournament preview will follow later this week.
 
McMINNVILLE OREGON REGIONAL SCHEDULE
All Times Pacific Daylight, Seeds in Parentheses
Thursday, May 14
Game 1: (1) Linfield vs. (4) Marymount, 11 a.m.
Game 2: (2) Pacific Lutheran vs. (3) Transylvania, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, May 15
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, loser out, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 16
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6, if necessary, 1:30 p.m.