MANSFIELD, Mass. - The Pace Setters captured their first outright Northeast-10 regular season title on Saturday, cementing themselves as the No. 1 seed in this week's softball championship tournament. The title is Pace's first taste of a regular season trophy since splitting the Southwest Division in 2018 and the Southwest three ways in 2016.
The Setters, the only team in the NE10 to appear in the top 25 poll this season, showcased the league's overall depth and diversity by becoming the fourth team to claim a share of a regular season title in the last five seasons. They finished the regular season winning 31 of 32 and went 20-0 in conference.
Good news for Pace is that a team to win a share of the NE10 regular season crown has gone on to win the NE10 Championship every year since 2013, with the exception of last spring when Adelphi fell to St. Anselm at home.
Notable this season is a change to the NE10 Softball Championship format. The league has gone to a double elimination format in a couple of stages. During the opening round, lower seeded teams must beat higher seeded teams twice in order to advance to the final site. The higher seeds must only win once to advance. From that point forward the bracket moves to a traditional double elimination format, culminating in a championship game (or two) on Saturday, May 3rd.
NE10 Postseason Seedings
1. Pace (20-0)
2. Saint Anselm (12-8)
3. Southern New Hampshire (12-8)
4. Bentley (12-8)
5. Franklin Pierce (11-9)
6. Assumption (10-10)
7. Adelphi (10-10)
8. Saint Michael's (9-11)
Tuesday, April 29th
First Round Games (if the high seed wins the first game, no second game will be played)
Game 1: #8 Saint Michael's at #1 Pace – 2 PM
Game 2: #7 Adelphi at #2 Saint Anselm – 2 PM
Game 3: #6 Assumption at #3 SNHU – 2:30 PM
Game 4: #5 Franklin Pierce at #4 Bentley – 2:30 PM
Thursday, May 1st, Friday, May 2nd & Saturday, May 3rd
Championship Weekend (to be hosted by the highest remaining seed; game times will be set following Tuesday games)
Game 5: G1 winner vs. G4 winner
Game 6: G2 winner vs. G3 winner
Game 7: G5 loser vs. G6 loser
Game 8: G5 winner vs. G6 winner
Game 9: G7 winner vs. G8 loser
Game 10: G9 winner vs. G8 winner
Game 11: If Necessary
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.