May 5, 2025

Ferris State softball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013

Ferris State softball headed to the NCAA Tournament — Ferris State softball second basemen Jadyn Joseph prepares a throw after a force out at second. The Bulldogs are headed to the NCAA Tournament.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —

The Ferris State University softball team will have an opportunity to compete in NCAA DII postseason action for the first time since 2013 as the Bulldogs received their ninth all-time national tournament bid.

Ferris State will be the number eight overall seed in the Midwest Region and compete in one of two sub-regional tournaments this weekend, May 8 through 10, in University Center, near Saginaw.

Ferris State will face top-seeded host Saginaw Valley State in the opening round of the national tournament on Thursday starting at 1:30 p.m.

In addition to Ferris State and SVSU, the sub-regional event will also include fourth-seeded Findlay University from Ohio and fifth-seeded Drury University from Missouri. A double-elimination format is planned with the title game set for Sunday.

Along with the Saginaw Valley State sub-regional, the second-seeded team in the region, Tiffin University of Ohio, will also host a Midwest Regional tournament this weekend. The Dragons face Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament champion and seventh-seeded Indianapolis in round one with third-seeded Hillsdale College taking on sixth-seeded Lewis University from Illinois also in the Tiffin sub-region.

The winners of this weekend's two four-team regional tournaments will advance to the NCAA Super Regionals set for May 5-16 at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the super-regional then moves on to the NCAA Elite Eight set for May 22-28 at Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The Bulldogs have advanced to the NCAA Tournament seven previous times with Ferris State’s last appearance in 2009 representing its fourth trip over a five-year span. Ferris State reached the title game of the sub-Midwest Regional Tournament in 2009.

Ferris State won back-to-back Great Lakes Regional Tourney titles in 1998 and 1999 before winning the regional again in 2008. The Bulldogs have made previous NCAA appearances in 1982, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013.

Ferris State owns a 28-19 mark to date this campaign under third-year head coach Jake Schumann. The Bulldogs closed GLIAC regular season play with a 16-12 record to receive the number three overall seed for the GLIAC Tournament where they recorded a 1-2 mark before being eliminated. Ferris State’s 28 wins are the program's most in a decade.