Waterville, Maine — The Colby College Softball team begins its first NCAA Division III tournament run in program history this week as they travel to Bangor for the regional round. The Mules will face MIT in the opening game of the four-team, double-elimination pod hosted by Husson University.

Colby enters the national field as an at-large selection, currently positioned at #37 in the NCAA's National Power Index (NPI). The Mules will open the tournament on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. against #21 MIT, an at-large selection out of the NEWMAC that reached its conference championship game and brings a 33-9 record into the weekend.

The regional field is packed with championship pedigree. The hosting #12 Husson Eagles enter the weekend on a 15-game winning streak after capturing its eighth consecutive North Atlantic Conference (NAC) title with a dominant 18-0 victory in the final. The Eagles will face #89 Endicott in Thursday's opening game. The Gulls (26-13) earned their way into the bracket by sweeping their way through the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship to secure their 18th conference title.

The Mules arrive in Bangor backed by a defense and pitching staff that lead the NESCAC in earned run average. While Colby's five All-Conference selections provide a solid core, the weekend represents a new chapter for the program as it tests its 26-win campaign against three of the region's most successful programs.

The winner of the Bangor regional will advance to the best-of-three Super Regional round scheduled for May 21-22.

Fans can follow alongside the action of Thursday's game using the live stats and live video links as well as check out the tournament central page for more information including the full schedule and the four participating teams of the regional tournament.