U-M Returns to NCAA Tournament, Opens Against Kentucky in Stillwater Regional
5/12/2024 8:07:00 PM | Softball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan softball team returns to the NCAA Tournament, earning its 30th selection in program history, and will head to the Stillwater Regional to open play against Kentucky at 2 p.m. CDT on Friday (May 17) at Cowgirl Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
No. 5 seed Oklahoma State will serve as the host school and face Northern Colorado at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Friday on the other side of the regional bracket. The regional round is a four-team, double-elimination tournament played over three days.
The winner of the Stillwater Regional will move on to a super regional against the winner of the regional being hosted by Arkansas. That regional consists of No. 12 overall seed Arkansas, Arizona, Villanova and Southeast Missouri State. The super regional is a best-of-three format with the winner advancing to the eight-team Women's College World Series, scheduled for May 30-June 9 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Michigan (41-16) is making its 30th NCAA Tournament appearance (1992-93, '95-2022, '24) after earning the Big Ten Conference's automatic bid as tournament champions and returns to NCAA play after a one-year hiatus in 2023. It is just the ninth time in program history that U-M will play a regional round on the road. The Wolverines are 88-23 all-time in the NCAA Regional round and have won 18 regional titles.
Stillwater Regional Schedule
Friday, May 17
Game 1 -- #2 seed Kentucky vs. #3 seed Michigan, 2 p.m. CDT
Game 2 -- #1 seed Oklahoma State vs. #4 seed Northern Colorado, 4:30 p.m. CDT
Saturday, May 19
Game 3 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, Noon CDT
Game 4 -- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2:30 p.m. CDT
Game 5 -- Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 5 p.m. CDT
Sunday, May 20
Game 6 -- Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, Time TBA
Game 7 (if necessary) -- Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, Time TBA
