Arizona Western College is hosting the NJCAA Softball World Series for the third time since 2021 this week in Yuma.
But unlike the tournaments in 2021 and 2022, this year the Lady Matadors are in the field.
Twenty teams are competing in the double-elimination tournament at the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex. The last two times here in Yuma, it was only 16 teams. AWC is in what amounts to a play in game today at 1:15 against Southern Union State of Alabama.
Florida Southwestern State, which won the tournaments in 2021 and 2022, is back. Half the teams are from Texas, Florida and Alabama. AWC is the lone Arizona college.
AWC Coach Joel Prickett said he and the team are excited to welcome the tournament to Yuma but they're playing to win.
The other teams competing are Chattanooga State from Tennessee, Lake Land from Illinois, Gaston from North Carolina, Crowder from Missouri, Butler from Kansas, Southern Idaho, Rose State from Oklahoma, McCook from Nebraska, Northwest Florida State, Chipola from Florida, Wallace State-Hanceville of Alabama and Texas schools Paris, Navarro, Grayson, McLennan, Odessa and Trinity Valley.
—-
UPDATE 3:25 p.m. Monday: AWC falls 4-0 to SUS. The Lady Matadors will be back in action on Tuesday, taking on the loser of Grayson vs Navarro at 3:30 pm in an elimination game on Field 1 at the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex.
—-
Stay tuned to KAWC for more from the 2025 NJCAA Softball World Series in Yuma.
