• UCO Tournament Notes
• Regional Tournament Website

UCO TO CENTRAL REGIONAL:  Central Oklahoma begins defense of its NCAA Division II national championship this weekend at the Central Regional II Tournament in Mankato, Minn.

The Bronchos, 40-15 on the season, meet Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival and No. 18-ranked Emporia State (46-12) in a 1:30 p.m. first-round game Friday.  The Hornets edged UCO for the regular season league title by one game and have won three of four meetings between the two this year.

Tournament host Minnesota State-Mankato (43-11), regular season champions of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, plays Great American Conference regular season winner Southeastern Oklahoma (38-17) in the other first-round contest at 11 a.m. Friday.

The tournament continues with three games Saturday and concludes with Sunday's finals.

The winner goes on to face the Central Regional I winner in a best-of-three series next week at a site to be determined to decide the Central Regional championship.

The eight regional champions advance to the NCAA Division II Championship Finals, set for May 22-26 in Salem, Va.

THE OTHER CENTRAL REGIONAL:  The Central Regional I Tournament will be held in Winona, Minn. on the same three days.

First-round match-ups in that tournament have host Winona State (44-7) taking on Southern Arkansas (36-24) while Augustana (43-13) goes against Missouri Western (38-16).

UCO AGAINST THE FIELD:  Emporia State is the only team in the Central Regional II field the Bronchos have played this season.

The Hornets prevailed 2-0 Feb. 14 in the 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Ark. and the two split a conference doubleheader April 11 in Emporia, Kan. (2-0 UCO, 4-2 ESU) before Emporia beat the Bronchos 7-2 in an elimination game at last weekend's MIAA Post-season Tournament.

UCO is 2-2 against Emporia in national tournament play.

The Bronchos met just one team in the other regional as well, dropping a 7-6 decision to Augustana in the season-opener Feb. 7 in Las Vegas, Nev.

UCO IN THE NATIONAL TOURNEY:  Central Oklahoma is making their eighth NCAA Division II national tournament appearance since 2002, including the seventh in the last 10 years.

UCO is 25-14 in national tournament play, with an 18-10 mark in regional competition and a 7-4 record in the Championship Finals.

Central has won two consecutive regional titles in making back-to-back appearances in the Championship Finals, falling in the semifinals in 2013 before capturing the national crown last year to cap a 9-0 post-season run.

The Bronchos competed in the Central Region last year after playing in the South Central Region in their first six national playoff appearances.

UCO's year-by-year national tournament record:  1-2 in 2002, 2-2 in 2005, 5-2 in 2006, 1-2 in 2008, 0-2 in 2010, 7-4 in 2013 and 9-0 last year.

The Bronchos won regional titles in 2006, '12 and '13 to qualify for the Championship Finals.

UCO tied for fifth place in 2006 in Salem, Va., tied for third in 2013 in Louisville, Ky. and won last year's national championship in Salem.

UCO IN LAST YEAR'S REGIONAL:  The Bronchos went to Hays, Kan. for last year's Central Regional I Tournament.

UCO blanked Minot State 2-0 in the first round and then blasted host Fort Hays State twice (11-3 and 7-1) to win that four-team event.

The Bronchos hosted Winona State for the Central Super Regional, winning 5-2 and 5-4 to advance to the Championship Finals for the second consecutive season.

IMPRESSIVE THREE-YEAR RUN:  Central Oklahoma has compiled an impressive 137-35 record (79.7 winning percentage) the last three years.  The Bronchos won a school-record 46 games in going 46-9 in 2012, broke that mark in finishing 51-11 last year and are 40-15 this year.