The Mustang softball team will make its seventh national tournament appearance in the last eight years.

Morningside College has been named by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as one of the 10 host sites for the 2016 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round to be held May 16-18.

Each of the National Championship Opening Round sites will host a four-team double elimination tournament. The host schools are guaranteed at least an at-large host berth in the National Championship Opening Round. The 40 qualifiers and pairings for the National Championship Opening Round will be announced on May 10.

Morningside’s berth in the National Championship Opening Round will be the Mustangs’ seventh NAIA National Tournament appearance in the last eight years.

Aside from Morningside, the other institutions selected as opening round sites are Auburn Montgomery University, Davenport University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lindsey Wilson College, LSU Alexandria, Oklahoma City University, Reinhardt University, Simpson University, and St. Gregory’s University.

The opening round selections were based on geography, facilities, student-athlete experience, and host qualification.

The champions from each of the National Championship Opening Round tournaments will advance to the 36th annual NAIA Softball World Series to be held May 27-June 2 at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex on the campus of Morningside College.