NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Christopher Newport softball team is ranked 11th in the country this week in the new poll from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The poll was released Wednesday as Keith Parr's squad prepared to leave for New Jersey for the start of the 2017 NCAA Softball Tournament.

CNU, ranked 16th in the country last week, will travel to Kean University in Union, New Jersey, for a four-team, double-elimination regional beginning Friday. The Captains will play Mount St. Mary College (N.Y.), Champions of the Skyline Conference, in the opening game Friday at 1:00 P.M. The host school, Kean, will open play vs. Neumann Friday at approximately 3:30 P.M. The regional will continue with three games scheduled on Saturday (11:00 A.M., 1:30 P.M., and 4:00 P.M.) and Championship Sunday (12:00 P.M. and 2:30 P.M. if necessary).

The NCAA Championship consists of 62 teams in all, 37 conference champions and 25 at-large selections. The winners of the 16 regionals this weekend will advance to play in eight, two-team Super Regionals next weekend, with the eight victors advancing to Oklahoma City for the National Finals May 25-30.

The Captains are 31-8 on the year and have captured both the regular and post-season titles in the Capital Athletic Conference. Keith Parr's squad has won eight straight games, including three in a row to wrap up the CAC Tournament at Captains Park.

Mount St. Mary, located in Newburgh, N.Y., is 27-12 on the year, and the Knights captured their second straight Skyline title this season. CNU and Mount St. Mary have never met before. The Captains are 1-1 all-time vs. Neumann, and the Knights this year are 28-14 and Champions of the Colonial States Athletic Conference. Christopher Newport is 2-6 all-time vs. Kean, and the Cougars are 33-7 this year after winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship. 

Christopher Newport will be making its 11th straight and 15th overall NCAA appearance. The Captains have also won at least 30 games for the 11th straight season.

CLICK HERE FOR NFCA RANKINGS

CLICK HERE FOR CNU POST-SEASON NOTES AND STATS