INDIANAPOLIS - The Augustana University baseball team debuted at No. 6 in the first installment of the 2016 NCAA Central Region Rankings announced Wednesday.

St. Cloud State opens the region rankings in the top spot with a region record of 19-4. They are followed by Missouri Western State, Minnesota Duluth. Arkansas-Monticello and Washburn.. Southwestern Oklahoma and Minnesota State round out the top-8.

The Central Region is made up of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the Mid-America Athletic Association and the Great American Conference. The top eight teams in each region will advance to the NCAA Tournament, with the top seed in each region hosting.
 

The NCAA Division II Baseball Selection show will air via webcast at NCAA.com on Sunday, May 15 at 9 p.m. central time. Automatic bids are awarded to conference tournament winners from the NSIC, GAC, and the MIAA with the remaining three spots awarded on an at-large basis.

The Vikings (28-10, 19-3 NSIC) will travel to Minnesota Crookston Wednesday before returning home for a four game series with Upper Iowa Saturday and Sunday. The Vikings will be honoring the seniors between games on Saturday.