MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Saint Leo University softball has earned the number five seed and is in Montgomery, Alabama for the 2024 NCAA Division II South Regional championship. The Lions drew the fifth seed and will take on the fourth seed Nova Southeastern at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 9. Auburn University at Montgomery is the number one seed and the host of the South Region 2 championship bracket.

The Lions are coming off a win in the final game of the regular season to #7 Tampa. Saint Leo finished the regular season third in the SSC standings with a 21-9 conference record.

Winners of seven of their last ten games the Lions finished the season with an overall 37-17 record to clinch back-to-back seasons of 37+ wins. As a team, Saint Leo led the SSC in hits, doubles, sacrifice hits, putouts, and fielding percentage and was second in team batting average, runs, RBI, total bases, and on base percentage. In the circle, the Lions led the conference in innings pitched, and strikeouts.

On Tuesday morning, seven Lions earned All-SSC postseason honors with Madyson Coe highlighting the honors as the SSC Player of the Year for softball. The senior catcher was also named to the first-team. Joining Coe on the first team was first baseman Alyssa Perez, and DP Hailey Beuerlein. Second team selections included Briana Neal at second base, and Haleigh Thomas at pitcher. Thomas and outfielder Hope Epps were named to the All-SSC defensive team.

The Lions regional bracket includes host and number one seed Auburn University at Montgomery, number four seed Nova Southeastern University, and number eight seed Spring Hill College.

The teams will compete for a chance to play in the super regional with the winner of the other half of the south region bracket. Mississippi College earned the number two seed and is hosting the number three seed University of Tampa, number six seed University of West Alabama, and the number seven seed University of Alabama in Huntsville.

The winner of the Saint Leo and Nova Southeastern game will advance to take on the winner of the AUM and Spring Hill game. The two losing teams will fall to the losers bracket.

Weather will be a factor over the next few days as rain is in the forecast.