INDIANAPOLIS — The West Virginia Wesleyan softball team received a bid in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament and return to the 64-team event for the first time since 2018. The Lady Bobcats were placed in the Atlantic 1 pod, which will be held in Kutztown, Pa. Wesleyan will face Mercyhurst in the opening round of the tournament on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

WVWC went 36-16-1 and had the best record of 23-7 in Mountain East Conference competition. The Lady ‘Cats finished runner-up in the MEC Tournament. Pitcher Hannah Hudson won MEC Pitcher of the Year and head coach Steve Warner was named MEC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career. Alli Robinson, Grace Hightower and Abigail O’Shields earned all-conference recognition.

The other two teams in the Atlantic 1 pod include Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament champion Kutztown (No.1) and MEC Tournament winner Fairmont State (No.8).

The Atlantic Regionals will be held from May 12-14. The two winners of each pod will square off in a best-of-three super regional for a spot in the NCAA Division II Softball World Series held in Denver, Colo.