The road to Salem now runs through Virginia Beach as the top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan University Marlins prepare to host Case Western Reserve University in the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Super Regional at TowneBank Park.
Virginia Wesleyan enters the weekend unbeaten at 48-0 after capturing the NCAA Regional Championship on its home field with a 3-2 victory over Pfeiffer. The Marlins went 3-0 through regional play, defeating John Jay, Manhattanville, and Pfeiffer to secure the program's fifth consecutive Super Regional appearance and seventh overall.
The best-of-three series is scheduled to begin Thursday, May 21, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. Game two will be played Friday, May 22 at 1 p.m., while a winner-take-all game three, if necessary, would follow Friday afternoon. Additional tournament information, ticket details, live stats, and streaming links can be found on the official Super Regional microsite.
Virginia Wesleyan continues to pile up accolades during one of the most dominant seasons in Division III history. The Marlins recently earned a nation-leading seven NFCA All-Region selections, highlighted by First Team honorees Hannah Hearl, Emma Adams, Taylor McQueen, and Morgan Tucker. Laci Campbell and Samantha Deitsch garnered Second Team recognition, while Sarah Prosser was named to the Third Team.
Head coach Brandon Elliott's squad has relied on a balanced attack all season long, combining elite pitching with timely offense and veteran leadership. Hearl was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Virginia Beach Regional after helping lead the Marlins to another postseason title on their home diamond.
Standing opposite the Marlins will be a battle-tested Case Western Reserve team that enters the Super Regional with a 30-12 overall record. The Spartans advanced after winning the Swarthmore Regional, defeating Muskingum, Swarthmore, and ultimately shutting out the nationally ranked Garnet 6-0 in the regional championship game.
Case Western Reserve is making its fourth Super Regional appearance in program history and fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Spartans reached the NCAA Finals in both 2018 and 2024 and bring postseason experience into the matchup. Junior Karen Potts earned Most Outstanding Player honors during regional play after a standout weekend offensively for CWRU.
The upcoming series also features a rubber match between two nationally respected programs that have split their previous two meetings. Case Western Reserve claimed a 4-2 win during the 2024 NFCA Leadoff Classic, while Virginia Wesleyan earned a 9-5 victory in Virginia Beach during the 2017 season.
With a trip to the NCAA Division III Women's College World Series in Salem on the line, TowneBank Park is set to host one of the premier matchups in the nation as two powerhouse programs collide.
