McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team is set to participate in the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament, marking its 20th appearance. The Titans will travel to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for regional play from May 16-18. They will face Wartburg College on Thursday, May 16, at 2:30 p.m., following a match between UW-Oshkosh and the College of Saint Benedict at noon.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the tournament with a record of 30-10 after securing both regular season and tournament titles in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Their recent victories include a win over Millikin University, earning them an automatic bid to the national tournament.

The Titans have navigated a challenging schedule this season, ranking as the 15th-toughest in Division III. They have faced nine other teams competing in this year's national tournament, achieving a record of 6-5 against these opponents.

Historically, Illinois Wesleyan has limited experience against their regional competitors but holds a slight edge with a 7-4 all-time record. They have met Wartburg College several times recently, including a victory earlier this year and a loss in last year's NCAA Tournament.

Illinois Wesleyan's postseason history includes five World Series appearances and a runner-up finish in 2018. This weekend's regional competition echoes past encounters from the 2022 tournament when three of the four current teams also competed together.

Several IWU players received accolades for their performances this season. Gianna Certa was named CCIW Pitcher of the Year, while Bailey Turner earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Other players were recognized on First Team All-CCIW lists, and IWU's coaching staff was named Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Offensively, Illinois Wesleyan ranks highly nationally with impressive batting averages among its players. Hailey Milgazo leads with a .473 average, while Jen Kuhn and Casey Wissmiller each have notable RBI counts.

Defensively, IWU boasts one of Division III's best fielding percentages at .977. This places them just behind UW-Oshkosh among teams competing in this weekend's regional games.

The winner of this regional will advance to face off against another regional winner during super regionals scheduled for May 24-26.