CAC Champion and 17th-ranked Salisbury University softball team learned that it will be headed to Christopher Newport University as the third-seed in the first round of  the 2012 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Tournament.

The eight teams in the double-elimination Newport News, Va., regional include host Christopher Newport, Emory College, McDaniel College, Roanoke College, Messiah College, Salisbury, Ferrum College and Farmingdale State College.

The Sea Gulls (35-5) will square off with sixth-seeded Ferrum College (35-12) at 2 p.m., on Thursday, May 10. Salisbury won the program's 17th Capital Athletic conference championship and is makings its 17th overall NCAA tournament appearance. The Panthers captured the automatic qualifier from the USA South Athletic Conference and are making their third NCAA tournament appearance.

Salisbury will play either Farmingdale State (26-13) or Christopher Newport (34-9) on Friday, May 11.

Other first-round games include Emory (33-3) against McDaniel (27-12) at 10 a.m., and Roanoke (29-9) taking on Messiah (35-8) at noon. Ferrum and CNU take the field at 4 p.m.

The remaining 53 teams will be traveling to other regional sites including Central (Iowa) College, University of Texas at Tyler, Eastern Connecticut State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Kean University, Amherst College and Alma College. The national championship round will be held May 18-22 in Salem, Va., at the Moyer Complex.

To view the regional schedule, click here.