INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Blugolds.com) – The 22^nd-ranked UW-Eau Claire softball team has earned an at-large bid to compete the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship, NCAA officials announced today.

View NCAA's Official Announcement

Bloomington Regional Bracket

The Blugolds (32-12) were selected after winning the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season title on April 29 and taking third at the WIAC Championship on May 6.

Eau Claire will head to Bloomington, Ill. to compete in an eight-team regional hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University, May 10-14. The other teams competing in the regional will be Illinois Wesleyan, St. Norbert College, Fontbonne (Mo.), Carthage, Anderson (Ind.) Benedictine (Ill.) and defending national champion Linfield (Ore.).

The Blugolds will open competition Thursday at noon against Fontbonne. Thursday's complete schedule with ticket information follows:

10 a.m. - Illinois Wesleyan (36-6, No. 1 seed) vs. St. Norbert (17-18, No. 8 seed)
12 p.m. - Wisconsin-Eau Claire (32-12, No. 4 seed) vs. Fontbonne (27-10, No. 5 seed)
2 p.m. - Carthage (34-8, No. 3 seed) vs. Anderson (30-10, No. 6 seed)
4 p.m. - Linfield (38-5, No. 2 seed) vs. Benedictine (33-9, No. 7 seed)

Admission (all general admission): 
Single Day Adult: $6
Single Day Senior (62+): $3
Single Day Student: $3
All-Session Adult: $18
All-Session Senior (62+): $9
All-Session Student: $9

View Illinois Wesleyan's Announcement

Bloomington Regional Website

Eau Claire is making second consecutive and 10^th overall appearance in the NCAA Championship. The Blugolds' best finish came in 2008 when they won the national title.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

-KM-