The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics – commonly referred to as the NAIA – announced last week that the division’s Softball Championship in 2020 has been relocated due to a scheduling conflict.
Originally set to take place in Springfield, Missouri, the tournament will now be held in Columbus, Georgia after a double-booking conflict was discovered in Springfield. South Commons Softball Complex will now serve as the venue for the 2020 championship; the stadium is well-known for hosting the softball portion of the 1996 Olympic Games, and also hosted the 2019 USA Softball International Cup.
In a statement released by the NAIA, Director of NAIA Championships Mike Higgins said, “We are thrilled to return to Columbus for the 2020 NAIA Softball World Series. Columbus is a tremendous host for our student-athletes and the improvements to the stadium are impressive. Our student-athletes will be thrilled to take the field there to compete for a national title.”
While the agreement for Columbus to host the championship is only for the 2020 year, the city has notified the NAIA of its intent to bid to host the 2021 championship tournament. Reinhardt University will assist the city of Columbus in putting on the event.
Columbus previously hosted the NAIA Softball Championship in 2013 and ’14. The tournament annually features ten teams that compete in a double-elimination bracket-style tournament to determine a champion.
