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I gathered some more information, so I will start a new thread.
The Shockers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament twice. In 1989 they won the Gateway Conference Tournament Championship (the MVC did not have softball until 1993) to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. There they lost two games to Oklahoma State, 2-0 and 3-1. Our other appearance was in 2005 as an at-large when we lost games to Oregon State, 3-2 in eight innings, and Oklahoma, 2-0.
The Valley has had more at-large bids than I recalled, just not in the immediate past. But the immediate past indicates we are, more likely than not, a one-bid conference. Just looking at the last ten years (2004-2013), the two-teams years are 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011. The conference has two at-large bids for a total of three teams in 2005, 2006 and 2007. We were a one-bid conference in 2009, 2012 and 2013. Our best year was 2004 when both Creighton and Southern Illinois were 3-2 in their Regionals, reaching the finals but not the if-necessary game.
Over those ten years, Creighton, Illinois State and Southern Illinois have had five appearances each in the NCAA Tournament. Since the NCAA has gone to their current format of sixteen four-team Regionals followed by eight two-team Super Regionals, only Illinois State in 2007 and 2012 have made it to a Regional final (but not the if-game).
The Shockers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament twice. In 1989 they won the Gateway Conference Tournament Championship (the MVC did not have softball until 1993) to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. There they lost two games to Oklahoma State, 2-0 and 3-1. Our other appearance was in 2005 as an at-large when we lost games to Oregon State, 3-2 in eight innings, and Oklahoma, 2-0.
The Valley has had more at-large bids than I recalled, just not in the immediate past. But the immediate past indicates we are, more likely than not, a one-bid conference. Just looking at the last ten years (2004-2013), the two-teams years are 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011. The conference has two at-large bids for a total of three teams in 2005, 2006 and 2007. We were a one-bid conference in 2009, 2012 and 2013. Our best year was 2004 when both Creighton and Southern Illinois were 3-2 in their Regionals, reaching the finals but not the if-necessary game.
Over those ten years, Creighton, Illinois State and Southern Illinois have had five appearances each in the NCAA Tournament. Since the NCAA has gone to their current format of sixteen four-team Regionals followed by eight two-team Super Regionals, only Illinois State in 2007 and 2012 have made it to a Regional final (but not the if-game).