2013 MEAC Championships Bracket

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – The Hampton University softball team will open the 2013 MEAC Softball Championships on Thursday against North Carolina A&T at 10 a.m. at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The Lady Pirates (30-23) are the No. 1 seed in the MEAC Northern Division after going 16-2 in conference play this season. Hampton took two out of three games against Norfolk State this past weekend to clinch its first MEAC Northern Division title since 2008.

Hampton, which won 30 games for the first time since 2008, is looking for its first MEAC title since 1996.

North Carolina A&T (9-33) is the No. 4 seed in the Southern Division, after taking two of three games against North Carolina Central to close out the regular season this past weekend.

The Lady Pirates are 20-16 all-time against North Carolina A&T, even though the Aggies took two games from Hampton last season in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. North Carolina A&T has won the last three meetings between the two teams, though Hampton beat the Aggies 4-1 in the 2009 MEAC Tournament.

Norfolk State is the Northern Division's No. 2 seed, while Delaware State is the division's No. 3 seed and Coppin State is the No. 4 seed.

Defending champion Bethune-Cookman is the No. 1 seed in the Southern Division. Florida A&M is the No. 2 seed and Savannah State is the No. 3 seed.

The winner of the Hampton-North Carolina A&T game will play in the quarterfinal round on Thursday at 7 p.m., while the loser will drop into the consolation bracket to play again on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.