Kansas City, MO - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially released the bracket for the 2011 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship, held May 17-21 in Mobile, Al. The 31st annual event is hosted by the Mobile Tennis Center and Mobile (Ala.).

The 24-team field is comprised of 14 squads who earned an automatic berth by winning their respective conference/independent/unaffiliated group tournament, nine at-large selections and one host berth. The nine at-large selections were determined by the final NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll released Monday.

The single elimination, dual match tournament will commence with eight first-round matchups on May 17 starting at 1 p.m. CDT. The top eight seeds receive a first-round bye and will begin action on May 18 at 1 p.m.

Headlining the qualifiers is returning champion and No. 1-seed Fresno Pacific (Calif.). Guided by head coach Neil Castro, the Sunbirds spent nine-straight weeks at No. 1 in the Top 25 Poll and will make their seventh-straight trip to the National Championship.

Since the team format began in 2000, Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) has captured eight national titles in 11 years. After winning six-consecutive crowns, the Lady Senators streak was ended by the Sunbirds last year. Fresno Pacific, who had finished as the runner-up to AUM in the four previous National Championships, defeated the Lady Senators 5-2. Brenau (Ga.) and Northwood (Fla.) are the only other programs to take home the banner since 2000.

There are four programs that will be making their 12th-consecutive appearance at the event, which is most among the field: Auburn Montgomery, Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Indiana Wesleyan and Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.). Brenau and Embry-Riddle (Fla.) have each qualified for the 11th time in a dozen years.

William Carey (Miss.) and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) will both be making their first-ever National Championship appearances. Besides the newcomers, seven teams will be seeking their first win on the National Championship court.

Brenau is scheduled to play on Wedensday, May 18th @ 1pm, against the winner of the No. 9 Vanguard/ No. 24 Bethel match.