Indianapolis - After earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship by capturing the East Coast Conference Championship this past weekend, Lincoln Memorial learned they will host Texas Southern in the opening round during this afternoon's selection show.
Lincoln Memorial (71-50) becomes the first ECC member to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship since the addition of women's bowling as the conference's 18th championship sport three years ago. The Lady Railsplitters topped Franklin Pierce in the final of the ECC Championship to earn the league's first automatic bid to the national tournament.
Lincoln Memorial was seeded No. 8 out of the 10 teams in the bracket and will host No. 10 seeded, Texas Southern, in a opening round contest on April 6. Texas Southern earned a spot in the bracket by capturing the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament Championship.
Lincoln Memorial has already face Texas Southern twice this season, picking up victories both times. They beat the Lady Tigers, 4-1 in Baker format at the Mid-Winter Invitational in January, and also by a 1,037-756 margin in traditional format at the Music City Classic in March.
The winner of the opening round match will advance to the final double elimination bracket that will feature eight teams from April 12-14 at Tropicana Lanes in St. Louis, Missouri. No. 1 Nebraska or defending National Champion, No. 2 McKendree, awaits the winner.
Other teams in the field include No. 3 Arkansas State, No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Sam Houston State, No. 6 North Carolina A&T, No. 7 Saint Francis (Pa.), and No. 9 Bowie State.
The championship final will air at 6:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 14 on ESPNU and at 7 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 15 on ESPN2.
To view the selection show and the full bracket, click here.
