Chattanooga, TN - It's exciting times in Lebanon, as preparations are full speed ahead for the 14th-ranked McKendree University Softball team, as they're anxiously awaiting a Tuesday morning departure to their first-ever NCAA Division II Softball Championship appearance at Chattanooga, Tennessee's Frost Stadium. Below is a full and as comprehensive as possible fan guide to allow those wanting to attend games in Chattanooga or follow along in other ways.

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Date: Thursday, May 28th, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM Central Time / 6:30 PM Eastern Time
Location: Frost Stadium - Chattanooga, Tennessee (Home of the Division-I Chattanooga Mocs)
Streaming Link: CLICK HERE
Live Stats Link: CLICK HERE
Ticket Link: CLICK HERE
Full Bracket: CLICK HERE
North Georgia Softball Home Page: CLICK HERE
McKendree Softball Home Page: CLICK HERE

WHAT FANS ATTENDING NEED TO KNOW
Parking
There are nearly 1,000 parking spaces for fans to park in.

Gates
There is one primary entrance behind the main grandstand of Frost Stadium. If you park in the fan lot down the left field line, you'll just have to cross a side road to the gate. If you park in the fan lot behind the right field fence, there will be a paved walkway you follow along the right field side of the stadium to the main entry gate.

Seating
There is chairback seating in the mid-section of the grandstand of Frost Stadium. There is also bleacher-style seating to both sides of the grandstand, as well as limited bleacher seating in left center field and the right field corner.

Bag Policy
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics Department enforces a Clear Bag Policy. Fans are allowed to bring in one plastic, vinyl, or PVC clear bag that does not exceed 12"x6"x12". Other items on the approved list include a one gallon re-sealable clear plastic freezer bag, a small clutch purse (no larger than 4.5"x6.5" and no handle or strap), seat cushions and bleacher chairs (no larger than 16" and no pockets), and small diaper bags.

Prohibited items include: a large purse, a large tote, a non-clear/printed tote, a duffel bag, a drawstring bag, a backpack, a fanny pack, or a camera bag.

Also, outside coolers, bottles, cans, and food of any kind are not permitted inside Frost Stadium. However, personal reusable water bottles are allowed.

Weather
In the event weather interferes with the DII Championship, there are protocols in place.

If it's merely rain, teams will go to their dugouts and fans can go to their cars, but are more than welcome to seek shelter within stadium grounds. If any rain worsens or progresses into a storm delay, fans are asked to leave the stadium and go to their vehicles, while the teams will go to their respective buses.

Merchandise / Concessions
Will be available for purchase inside Frost Stadium. It is a CASH ONLY venue.

HOW McKENDREE GOT HERE
GLVC Tournament Runner-Up Finish
The Bearcats entered the GLVC Tournament as the league's 3-seed, going 3-0 to start, out-scooring their opponents 24-6. After an 11-4 win over UIS and a 6-0 shutout of Missouri S&T, the crazed Rockhurst run began.

McKendree first defeated the Hawks 7-2 to make the GLVC Championship. However, Rockhurst avenged that with two title-game wins to claim the tournament crown.

Over the course of the tournament, Lauren Harris (.467) and Jasmine Myers (.438) both hit north of .400, while Harris, Myers, Laynee Tapp (inside-the-park), and Molly Bartz all hit home runs.

Sami Huck (3-1, 2.96 ERA, 28 strikeouts) and Ellie Vetter (0-1, 2.33 ERA, 8 strikeouts) held things down in the circle.

NCAA Midwest 2 Regional Championship
After waking up for a Monday morning selection show, the Bearcats found out they were hosting for the first time ever. Against Rockhurst. Again. In a thrilling moment, McKendree walked off the Hawks 3-2 on a Molly Bartz RBI hit, before defeating Missouri S&T 6-3 in a thriller. In the Regional Championship it was, yes, you guessed it, Rockhurst. After the Hawks yet again forced the if necessary game, McKendree brought the bats to a 9-4 victory to claim the Regional crown.

Laynee Tapp (.467 AVG) and Trista Moore (.364 AVG) were the top two hitters, with Tapp, Paisley Twait, Lauren Harris, and Jasmine Myers all homering.

Sami Huck (3-0, 2.67 ERA, 17 strikeouts), Ellie Vetter (0-1, 3.2 innings, 5 strikeouts), and Olivia Tipton (0-0, 3.00 ERA, .125 batting average against) all saw time in the circle. 

NCAA Midwest Super Regional Championship
McKendree then had the tall task of defeating the mighty UIndy Greyhounds, ranked 2nd in the nation and having already eclipsed 50 wins. With many on the outside likely favoring the GLVC juggernaut, the Bearcats stayed grounded. McKendree went into Baumgartner Field and swept #2 UIndy, using a 9-hit 3-RBI effort to take down the Greyhounds 3-2 in the opener, including 7 strikeouts on 132 pitches from Sami Huck.

Game two of the series was a movie in and of itself. Lauren Harris hit her second-consecutive first-inning home run to take a 1-0 lead. Then the back-and-forth began. UIndy countered to go up 2-1, then after a Harris hit by pitch, Jasmine Myers countered with a two-run homer to take the lead right back. The Greyhounds answered again with two runs to take a 4-3 lead.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, down one with one on (Sami Huck single), Lauren Harris capped the cinematic game with the unscriptable - a walk-off two-run home run to advance to Chattanooga with a 5-4 victory. Sami Huck also struck out nine to finish with 16 strikeouts combined in the Super Regional.

ABOUT NORTH GEORGIA (51 WINS, 9 LOSSES)
How They Got Here
Since suffering a heartbreaker of an 8-7 loss in the Southeast Regional opener to Lincoln Memorial (12 innings at that), the Nighthawks have run the table, beating Columbus State, Lincoln Memorial, Lander (twice), and Francis Marion twice in the Super Regional.

The offense has been dominant amidst their postseason efforts. Despite surrendering 27 runs in the NCAA Tournament, they've scored 56, including scoring five or more runs in every single tournament contest.

While McKendree has faced two tournament teams in 2026 (swept 2-seed Missouri Southern State, beat 5-seed West Texas A&M), North Georgia did not face a tournament team in their non-conference schedule. They did, however, play at Frost Stadium back in mid-February, taking a doubleheader from Lee by scores of 5-3 and 13-2.

Thursday will be just their 11th neutral game of the season, going (8-2) thus far. 30 of their 60 games have been in their home of Dahlonega, Georgia.

Why the Nighthawks?
The University of North Georgia became the Nighthawks in 2012 after it was the winning choice in a student vote following the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College.

Players to Watch - Batting
#23, Sydnee Reaves | .437 AVG, 1.363 OPS, 94 hits, 20 home runs, 81 RBI, 22 stolen bases
#11, Kayla Berry | .407 AVG, 1.063 OPS, 68 hits, 1 home run, 23 RBI, 6 stolen bases
#9, Morgan Martin | .387 AVG, 1.168 OPS, 77 hits, 17 home runs, 65 RBI

2 other players have hit 10 or more home runs, including #22 Marycille Brumby (12) and #2 Carleigh Knowles (11).

Martin just hit three home runs in the Super Regional on May 22nd.

North Georgia as a team is 81-93 in stolen bases on the season, with Knowles (13) and #7 Jenna Miles (17) having swiped 10 or more bases.

Players to Watch - Pitching
#51, Chloe Poss | 34 starts, 24-5, 2.38 ERA, 203.1 innings, 48 walks, 160 strikeouts, 15 home runs, .228 batting average against
#3, Lila Mullinax | 16 starts, 11-2, 2.57 ERA, 92.2 innings, 48 walks, 62 strikeouts, 7 home runs, .238 batting average against
#33, Caroline Conner | 8 starts, 14-1, 2.33 ERA, 84.0 innings, 45 walks, 69 strikeouts, 4 home runs, .227 batting average against

FULL DII CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 28th
Game 1 | 10:00 AM CST | #1 Saint Leo (49-3-1) vs. #8 St. Thomas Aquinas (38-12)
Game 2 | 12:30 PM CST | #4 Cal State San Marcos (55-10) vs. #5 West Texas A&M (52-8)
Game 3 | 3:00 PM CST | #2 Missouri Southern State (53-8) vs. #7 Glenville State (51-16)
Game 4 | 5:30 PM CST | #3 North Georgia (51-9) vs. #6 McKendree (48-15)

Friday, May 29th
Game 5 | 11:00 AM CST | Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6 | 1:30 PM CST | Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (McK Plays Here with a 5/28 Win)

Saturday, May 30th
Game 7 | 10:00 AM CST | Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 | Elimination Game
Game 8 | 12:30 PM CST | Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 | Elimination Game (McK Plays Here with a 5/28 Loss)
Game 9 | 3:00 PM CST | Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 6 | Elimination Game
Game 10 | 5:30 PM CST | Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 5 | Elimination Game

Sunday, May 31st (Final Four)
Game 11 | 10:00 AM CST | Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 9
Game 12 | 12:30 PM CST | Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 10
Game 13 | 3:00 PM CST | Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11 (only if G11's loser is their first loss of the tournament)
Game 14 | 5:30 PM CST | Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12 (only if G12's loser is their first loss of the tournament)

Monday, June 1st - OFF DAY

Tuesday, June 2nd (Championship Series)
Game 15 | 5:00 PM CST | Winner Games 11/13 vs. Winner Games 12/14

Wednesday, June 3rd (Championship Series)
Game 16 | 2:00 PM CST | Winner Game 15 vs. Loser Game 15
Game 17 | 4:30 PM CST | Winner Game 16 vs. Loser Game 16 (only if series is tied 1-1 after G16)