For the third consecutive year, the second-ranked North Georgia softball team will be one of 16 host teams for the opening round of the 2011 NCAA Division-II softball championships to be played around the country this weekend.

The four-team tournament in Dahlonega will be one of two host sites in the Southeast Region, as Lenoir-Ryne will host four teams in Hickory, N.C. The winner of each regional will advance to the NCAA Super Regional May 20-21, with the Super Regional champions advancing to the NCAA Division-II College World Series on May 26-30 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.

North Georgia will be a top overall seed in the first round, and will take on eighth-seeded Erskine College at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the opening round in Dahlonega. Regional play will conclude Sunday.