Reaching the NCAA Championship Tournament was one of the lofty goals the Chico State softball team set for itself in 2022. Mission accomplished. For the sixth straight full season, the Wildcats have earned the chance to play for the Division II national championship. Now the 'Cats have another goal they're determined to reach—namely, advancing to the D-II Championship Finals in Denver, Colorado. Chico State takes its first step towards realizing that goal when it takes on Cal State Dominguez Hills Thursday at 12 noon in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional.
The game will take place at Eagles Field on the campus of Concordia University in Irvine. Tickets to the NCAA West Regional will only be available online, and can be purchased by
CLICKING HERE. There will be no cash or checks accepted at the door, so be sure to purchase tickets prior to arriving on the Concordia University campus.
Links to online stats and live video streaming are accessible at
www.chicowildcats.com in the calendar section of the website's homepage, and on the Chico State softball schedule page.
Chico State enters the NCAA West Regional with a 36-15 record on the season and installed as the No. 3 seed out of the eight teams competing. Cal State Dominguez Hills, 36-19 overall, earned the West's No. 6 seed. The Wildcats and Toros have met five times in 2022—the two teams split a four-game series during the regular season, with Dominguez Hills knocking the 'Cats out of CCAA Tournament play with a 6-5 win last Friday in Seaside.
The Wildcats faced Concordia early in the season, with the Eagles prevailing 3-1 February 6 at the Concordia Kickoff Classic. Chico State and Azusa Pacific squared off at last month's Tournament of Champions, with the Cougars prevailing 3-2.
The other two teams on Chico State's side of the West Region bracket will play Thursday at 2:30 p.m. No. 2 seed and Pacific West Conference champion Concordia University (43-8) will host No. 7 seed Azusa Pacific (35-15).
The NCAA West Regional is divided into two four-team brackets. The other bracket
includes No. 1 seed Cal State San Marcos, No. 4 Sonoma State, No. 5 Cal State Monterey Bay, and No. 8 seed (and Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion) Northwest Nazarene.
The winner of the Wildcats' double-elimination West Regional bracket, determined Saturday, will go on to face the winner of the other West Regional bracket May 19–20 in the West Super Regional.
The winner of the best-of-three West Super Regional will advance to the Division II Championship Finals May 26–31 at the Assembly Athletics Complex in Denver, Colorado.
Chico State, which has reached the NCAA West Regional nine times since 2010 under head coach Angel Shamblin, has successfully climbed that postseason mountain twice in the program's history. The 2002 edition of the Wildcat softball team reached the NCAA Championship Finals with five straight wins after losing its West Region opener, and in 2018 the 'Cats reeled off a school-record 55 wins en route to claiming the West Region title and emerging as one of the final eight teams in the nation to compete for the Division II title in Salem, Virginia.
Cal State Dominguez Hills has earned the program's ninth NCAA Championship Tournament berth and first since 2013.
Concordia University, ranked No. 13 in the nation in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Division II Coaches Poll, has reached the NCAA West Regional for the fourth straight full season. The Eagles reached the West Super Regional in 2019 and again in 2021.
Azusa Pacific is making its second NCAA postseason appearance. The Cougars' last trip to the West Regionals was in 2016.
2022 NCAA WEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
May 12–14, Eagles Softball Field, Concordia University
Irvine, California
Double-elimination tournament
All times Pacific
Thursday, May 12
12:00 p.m.— Game 1:
No. 3 Chico State (36-15) vs. No. 6 Cal State Dominguez Hills (36-19)
2:30 p.m.— Game 2: No. 2 Concordia University (43-8) vs. No. 7 Azusa Pacific (35-15)
Friday, May 13
11:00 a.m.—Game 3: winner of Game 1 vs. winner of Game 2
1:30 p.m.—Game 4: loser of Game 1 vs. loser of Game 2 (elimination game)
4:30 p.m.—Game 5: winner of Game 4 vs. loser of Game 3 (elimination game)
Saturday, May 14
12:00 p.m.—Game 6: winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 5
2:30 p.m.—Game 7 (if necessary)
