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For the first time in program history, Belhaven University softball will bring the NCAA Division III postseason to Jackson, Mississippi. McLeod Field has been selected as one of 16 opening-round sites for the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Championship, a milestone that caps years of steady growth for a program that has quietly become one of the nation’s most consistent contenders.
After the national selection show on May 11, the Blazers were announced as the No. 1 seed in a four-team regional at McLeod Field. They will be joined in Jackson by Emory University, Berry College and Westminster College (Pennsylvania) for a three-day, double-elimination tournament running May 14–16. The winner will advance to a best-of-three super regional the following week, one step away from the Division III Women’s College World Series in Salem, Virginia.
Belhaven’s hosting honor is the product of a 37–9 overall record, a 15–1 mark in Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) play and a second straight CCS Tournament title. For recruits, parents and coaches following the Division III softball landscape, the 2026 regional at McLeod Field is a clear signal: Belhaven softball belongs in any conversation about national championship contenders.
McLeod Field, a 500-seat on-campus stadium in Jackson, has long been a home-field advantage for the Blazers. In 2026, it becomes something more: a national stage. The NCAA’s decision to award a regional to Belhaven marks the first time the program has hosted NCAA postseason play on its own field since the university’s transition into Division III.
The selection aligns with the criteria the NCAA Division III Softball Committee typically emphasizes: overall and conference record, strength of schedule, and recent postseason performance. Belhaven checked all those boxes with its 37–9 record, dominant 15–1 conference mark and a résumé that includes five straight NCAA regional appearances, three super regional trips from 2022 to 2024 and a national runner-up finish in 2024.
At a broader level, hosting allows Belhaven University to showcase its Jackson campus and growing athletic profile. For local recruits and families in Mississippi and the Southeast, seeing an NCAA regional on campus sends a visible message that a private NCAA Division III school in Jackson can offer a big-time postseason atmosphere without leaving home.
The Jackson regional follows the standard NCAA Division III format: a four-team, double-elimination bracket played over three days. Belhaven enters as the No. 1 seed, with Emory seeded second, Berry third and Westminster (Pa.) fourth, according to selection-show materials and regional previews.
The schedule is structured to reward the top seed but still test depth:
The regional is paired with the Washington University in St. Louis site, as noted by the University Athletic Association. That means the winners of the Jackson and WashU regionals will face off in a best-of-three super regional May 21–22. The super regional champion moves on to Salem, Virginia, home of the Division III Women’s College World Series under the NCAA’s championship structure for softball (NCAA.com).
It is a demanding route, but one Belhaven knows well. The Blazers have already played their way into the Division III World Series once, in 2024, when they advanced all the way to the national championship game before falling 9–5 to East Texas Baptist University.
Belhaven’s path to hosting an NCAA regional ran directly through the Collegiate Conference of the South tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. Entering as the No. 1 seed after dominating league play, the Blazers ran into adversity quickly, dropping their opening game of the tournament.
Instead of letting the stumble derail them, they put together one of the most dominant elimination-bracket runs in CCS history. Belhaven rattled off five consecutive wins, hitting .368 as a team over six games with 63 hits and 49 runs scored. The run culminated in back-to-back wins over Huntingdon College on May 2, by scores of 10–4 and 5–2, to clinch a second straight CCS crown and the league’s automatic NCAA bid.
Beyond the trophy, that performance validated Belhaven’s ability to adjust quickly, rebound from early setbacks and string together quality at-bats and shutdown innings in a compressed, high-pressure environment. Those are exactly the traits that matter in an NCAA regional, where even top seeds rarely cruise without a challenge.
No player defined the CCS tournament more than junior right-hander Macy Funderburk. The Blazers relied on her heavily in Oxford, and she responded with one of the most impressive pitching performances in conference tournament history.
Across six appearances, Funderburk went 5–0 with a 1.75 ERA over 32 innings. She tied the conference record for tournament wins and broke the CCS mark for innings pitched in a single tournament. That workload and effectiveness earned her CCS Tournament Most Valuable Player honors for the second straight year and pushed her all-time CCS tournament record to 9–0.
Funderburk’s showing matters for more than just awards. In a regional format where pitching depth is tested, having a proven workhorse who can handle multiple appearances while maintaining her stuff and command is a clear edge. It also sends a message to opposing lineups: if Belhaven falls into the loser’s bracket, they have a pitcher who has already demonstrated she can carry a team through the long way back.
As impressive as Funderburk’s numbers are, the 2026 Blazers are not a one-arm show. Their 37–9 record is built on balance, with an offense that leads the Collegiate Conference of the South in multiple categories and a pitching staff that has consistently kept opponents in check.
Entering regional week, Belhaven sits atop the CCS in batting average at .344 and also leads the league in runs, hits and runs batted in. Those numbers are not inflated by one or two stars; they reflect a lineup that can do damage from top to bottom and put extended pressure on opposing pitchers.
At the center of Belhaven’s lineup is junior corner infielder and catcher Maryanna Guy, one of the most productive hitters in Division III this season. Over 46 games, Guy is batting .432 with 60 hits, 15 doubles, nine home runs and 49 RBI. That mix of average and power makes her a matchup problem for any staff.
Guy is far from alone. Outfielder Melissa Lopera enters the regional hitting .405, with 10 doubles, five home runs and 35 runs driven in. First baseman Kaleigh Steverson adds another middle-of-the-order threat at .385, with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 36 RBI.
For college-bound athletes and their families studying successful Division III offenses, Belhaven offers a clear blueprint:
In a regional where every extra run can be the difference between the winner’s bracket and an elimination game, that kind of depth is exactly what makes Belhaven a feared No. 1 seed.
While Funderburk leads the staff with a 15–4 record, 1.83 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 92 innings, she is backed by two more right-handers who give Belhaven flexibility in how it attacks the regional bracket.
AR Sharp enters at 9–0 with a 3.12 ERA, giving the Blazers a second starter or long-relief option who has yet to take a loss in 2026. Karley Rouse adds another effective arm at 8–4 with a 2.87 ERA. Together, the trio has carried Belhaven through conference play and multiple postseason runs.
In a four-team, double-elimination setting, those numbers matter. Regional-winning teams almost always need at least three reliable pitching options to navigate early wins, if-necessary games and potential rain-adjusted schedules. Belhaven’s staff has already proven it can handle that type of workload across the CCS tournament and multiple NCAA runs in recent years.
Belhaven began softball in 1996, and program quick facts now list 787 all-time wins. Under 15th-year head coach Kevin Griffin, the Blazers have compiled a 481–216 record, reflecting a level of sustained quality that stands out even in a deep Division III softball landscape.
Since joining NCAA Division III, Belhaven has rapidly moved from up-and-comer to regular postseason presence:
That progression mirrors what national observers expect from a rising Division III power: first, qualifying for the tournament; then making deep regional runs; then breaking through to the World Series; and eventually competing for national titles. Belhaven has checked each stage of that ladder in short order.
External databases and coverage of Division III softball, such as those maintained by D3Softball.com, have increasingly reflected Belhaven’s rise through rankings, preseason polls and postseason previews. Hosting a regional in 2026 is the next logical step in that trajectory.
For high school softball players considering Division III opportunities, the 2026 Jackson regional offers a real-time case study in how a program can blend competitive success, player development and campus experience.
Belhaven’s ability to host an NCAA regional on campus underscores several key points that recruits often weigh:
If you are exploring schools like Belhaven, you can use tools such as the Pathley College Directory to compare campuses, locations and basic program details across hundreds of colleges. For softball specifically, the Softball Pathley Hub allows athletes to explore programs, ranking lists and potential camp opportunities that match their level and goals.
Belhaven’s status as the No. 1 seed does not guarantee a smooth path through the Jackson regional. The field coming to McLeod Field is balanced and battle-tested:
Belhaven’s opening game against Westminster at 11 a.m. on May 14 is critical. A win would push the Blazers into the winner’s bracket and allow Griffin’s staff to manage pitching with more flexibility. A loss would instantly test their depth and resilience, similar to their path through the CCS tournament.
Based on Belhaven’s statistical profile and recent postseason history, several keys stand out for the Blazers to turn their first home regional into another deep NCAA run:
For athletes and coaches studying how to prepare for this type of event, analyzing Belhaven’s 2026 schedule and box scores, available through the school’s athletics site and national trackers, provides insight into how the Blazers handle close games, travel weekends and quick turnarounds.
Jackson is home to multiple colleges with strong athletic identities, giving local recruits a range of options to consider alongside Belhaven.
For athletes comparing these options, Pathley’s College Fit Snapshot can quickly show how your academics, athletic profile and campus preferences line up with each school before you start reaching out to coaches.
Hosting an NCAA regional is more than a scheduling detail; it is a checkpoint in a program’s evolution. For Belhaven, it validates years of investment in softball, from facilities like McLeod Field to consistent recruiting and player development under Kevin Griffin’s leadership.
It also reflects a broader trend in Division III softball, where programs outside the traditional power corridors are building national-caliber teams by emphasizing culture, academics and growth opportunities. Resources like the NCAA’s Division III hub (NCAA.org) and independent sites such as D3Softball highlight how wide and competitive the landscape has become.
For families and athletes watching the Jackson regional, it offers proof that you do not need to attend a massive state school or a long-established blueblood to compete at the highest levels of college softball. A program like Belhaven, at a private Division III school in Jackson, can deliver national postseason opportunities, player development and a vibrant campus experience.
If the story of Belhaven softball’s rise resonates with you, it may be time to explore your own college options more strategically. With thousands of programs across NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and junior college levels, finding your best-fit schools can be overwhelming.
Pathley is built to simplify that process. Athletes can use the Pathley Chat assistant to get personalized college suggestions, ask recruiting questions and understand where their current stats might fit. The Pathley College Directory helps you browse and save schools like Belhaven, Millsaps or Jackson State to a shortlist. When you are ready to go deeper, the College Fit Snapshot turns that interest into a clear, coach-ready breakdown of your fit for specific programs.
Whether you dream of playing in an NCAA Division III regional at a place like McLeod Field or simply want to find a campus where you can balance academics and athletics, using smart tools and data can turn the recruiting process from confusing to manageable.
As Belhaven prepares to open its first home NCAA regional against Westminster and potentially chase another World Series berth, athletes watching from around the country can take an important lesson: with the right program fit and a strong development culture, big postseason moments are possible at every level of college softball.
