INDIANAPOLIS – Augustana University softball is ranked No. 7 for the third straight week in the Central Region rankings released by the NCAA on Wednesday.
 
The top eight teams remained the same for the third straight week. Harding earned the No. 1 spot, followed by Minnesota State, Mankato in second, Central Oklahoma in third and Winona State in fourth. Southern Arkansas is in fifth, followed by Pittsburg State in sixth, Augustana in seventh and Missouri Western in eighth.
 
The Central Region is made up of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegaite Conference, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Great American Conference. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA Tournament, with the top two seeds hosting a Super Regional.
 
The winners of the three league's conference tournaments will earn automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. Central Oklahoma earned the auto-bid out of the MIAA after winning the conference tournament last weekend.
 
Augustana has made 23 NCAA postseason appearances in program history, including six straight from 2010 to 2015. The Vikings missed the cut for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 last season.

The NCAA softball selection show will be aired on NCAA.com on Monday, May 8, at 9 a.m. (CT). 
 
The Vikings are 36-12 on the season and will open NSIC Tournament play on Thursday, May 4. Augustana earned the No. 3 seed in the NSIC Tournament and will take on No. 6 seed Bemidji State at 12 p.m. tomorrow at Sherman Park.
 

NCAA Central Region Rankings
Rk.	Team	In-Region Record	Overall Record
1	Harding (GAC)	50-6	50-6
2	Minnesota State, Mankato (NSIC)	41-6	49-6
3	Central Oklahoma (MIAA)	47-9	47-9
4	Winona State (NSIC)	39-8	45-8
5	Southern Arkansas (GAC)	42-14	42-14
6	Pittsburg State (MIAA)	42-17	42-17
7	Augustana (NSIC)	30-10	35-12
8	Missouri Western State (MIAA)	33-17	38-18
9	Arkansas Tech (GAC)	35-20	35-20
10	Arkansas-Monticello (GAC)	33-21	33-21