Misenheimer, N.C. (May 11, 2026) – The Pfeiffer University softball team will travel to Virginia Beach, Va. and will take on the Manhattanville University on Thursday, May 14 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament as the NCAA released the field for the 64-team tournament on Monday morning.
The Falcons (38-9) are fresh off winning their fourth consecutive USA South regular season and tournament championships.The Falcons enter the NCAA Tournament on a five-game winning streak, and are winners of 24 of their last 25 games. Pfeiffer will be the No. 2 seed in the Virginia Beach Regional.
Pfeiffer junior
Landry Stewart won her second straight USA South Player of the Year Award in 2026. Stewart leads the USA South with a .503 battng average and has also scored a league-best 62 runs. She also leads the league in hits (83), and stolen bases (82).
Heather Vaughn, a freshman first baseman from Eli Whitney, North Carolina, becomes the third Falcon to earn USA South Softball Rookie of the Year honors. At the conclusion of the regular season, Vaughn sat in the top-five of the Conference in several offensive categories including batting average (.426), hits (58), runs scored (34), RBI (38), stolen bases (15), and triples (3). Vaughn also added a .507 slugging percentage and a .455 on-base percentage during regular season play. Against USA South opposition, Vaughn was second in hits with 28, tied for second in RBI with 24, and fourth in runs scored with 20 to go along with a .467 batting average, a .567 slugging percentage, and a .492 on-base percentage. Finally, Vaughn earned First Team All-Conference honors at first base while also being named USA South Rookie of the Week three times this spring.
Abigail Bowman, a freshman pitcher from Lenoir, North Carolina is just the second Falcon hurler (
Emma Bullin, 2022) to earn USA South Softball Rookie Pitcher of the Year. She compiled a 14-4 record with a League-best four saves and a 1.90 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 110.1 innings this regular season. Bowman also held opponents to hitting a USA South-low .178 during regular season play. In games against USA South opponents, Bowman was 11-1 win a Conference-best 1.28 ERA and a USA South-leading four saves. She struck out 63 batters over 65.2 innings and held hitters to a League-low .127 batting average. Finally, Bowman was named a First Team All-Conference pitcher, USA South Pitcher of the Week once, and USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week five times this spring.
Bowman earned All-USA South Tournament honors after going 3-1 in tournament play, including a complete game in the series clincher, a 6-4 win over N.C. Wesleyan.
The Falcons will take on Manhattanville University out of Purchase, N.Y. on Thursday, May 14 at a time yet to be announced. Manhattanville enters with a 35-8 overall record, including a perfect 18-0 mark in Skyline Conference play. The Valiants breezed through the Skyline Conference Tournament, downing Farmingdale State 9-6 to win the league title and earning the invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Thursday's game marks the first meeting between Pfeiffer and Manhattanville on the softball diamond. This season, the Falcons and Valiants share one common opponent in King's College (Pa.). Pfeiffer downed the Monarchs 11-1 in five innings on March 11 in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. while Manhattanville also won their game with King's, also by an 11-1 score in six innings on March 13 in Salisbury, Md.
All other information pertaining to the upcoming NCAA Division III Softball Tournament can be found by visiting NCAA.com and ticket information will be made available as it is announced.
The full weekend schedule is below.
- Virginia Beach, Va. – Hosted by Virginia Wesleyan University - Tom & Betty Broyles Field at TowneBank Park
- Thursday, May 14
- Game 1: No. 1 VWU vs. No. 4 John Jay -| 11 a.m.
- Game 2: No. 2 Pfeiffer vs. No. 3 Manhattanville - 1:30 p.m.
- Friday, May 15
- Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner - 11 a.m.
- Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser - 1:30 p.m.
- Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser - 4 p.m.
- Saturday May 16
- Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner | 1:30 p.m.
- Game 7 (if necessary): Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser - 4:00 p.m.
