NCAA Tournament Bracket
Tucson Regional Bracket 

INDIANAPOLIS—The No. 11/13 University of Hawai`i softball team (44-7, 17-3 WAC) is heading to the Tucson Regional in the 2012 NCAA Softball Tournament. The Rainbow Wahine will open the tourney against Notre Dame (38-14) on Friday, May 18 at 2:30 pm (PT) at the Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium. On the other side of the four-team bracket, North Dakota State (37-20) will face the 13th-seed and host-team Arizona (35-17). Every game of the Tucson Regional will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and ESPN3.com. 
 
This is the 10th time that head coach Bob Coolen has led the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA tournament—fourth time in the last six seasons. He is the only coach in Hawai`i softball history to lead teams into post-season play. This is the third time the UH will be going to a regional hosted by Arizona (1998, 2001, 2012). Thirty conferences were awarded automatic qualification, and Hawai`i received one of the 34 remaining slots that were filled by at-large selections that completed the bracket. 
 
The 'Bows won the Western Athletic Conference regular season crown for the fourth time in school history with a 17-3 conference record while posting the program's best regular season record at 43-5.
 
This is Fighting Irish's 17th-straight NCAA tournament appearance and 11th in as many seasons for head coach Deanna Gumpf. Hawai`i has won five of eight meetings against Notre Dame, although the Irish have won the last three games, including their last meeting in 2005.
 
Perennial power Arizona was ranked No. 17 in the most recent NFCA/USA Today and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls. The Wildcats have won eight Women's College World Series titles—including 2010 when the Rainbow Wahine fell to them in Oklahoma City, Okla. This season, Arizona finished fourth in the PAC-12 with a 12-12 conference record. The Rainbow Wahine are 0-13 all-time against the Wildcats.
 
Four-time Summit League tournament champion North Dakota State is making its third NCAA DI Tournament appearance—its first since 2009 when the Bison advanced to the Super Regionals in Tempe, Ariz. North Dakota State was a national power in DII for many years, winning the NCAA DII crown in 2000. Hawai`i has never played the Bison before.
 
Tucson Regional – May 18-20 at Tucson, Ariz. 
No. 13 seed Arizona (35-17) vs. North Dakota State (37-20)
Notre Dame (38-14) vs. Hawai`i (44-7)