The Iowa softball team heads to Atlanta this week for an NCAA regional. The Hawkeyes were one of 64 teams selected for the tournament. It is the ninth time in the last ten years the Hawkeyes have qualified for regional play.

Iowa coach Gayle Blevins says they have the bigger goal of playing in the World Series. The Hawkeyes closed the regular season with four straight wins and take a 42-14 record into the regional. Blevins says they have good momentum, and have played well, pitched well, played good defense and gotten timely hitting.

Iowa takes on Auburn in the opening round on Friday. The other first round matchup pits 14th ranked and host Georgia Tech against Boston University. Each year the Hawks travel the country for a demanding, pre-conference schedule but they have yet to play any of the other teams in the regional.

Belvins says they’ve gotten a lot of good scouting reports and there are more TV games to look at in preparation.