WARRENSBURG, Mo. - It is only fitting that after a season that saw seemingly endless schedule changes, the only thing standing between the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns softball team and its first appearance in an NCAA tournament is mother nature.

Weather permitting, the Golden Suns are slated to open tournament play against Henderson State on Friday at 3:30 p.m. on the campus of the University of Central Missouri. The weather forecast does not appear to be particularly friendly to the game schedule, as heavy-to-severe storms are forecast for all day Friday.

Regardless, when tournament play does open for the Golden Suns, they will be faced with a familiar foe, as Arkansas Tech matches up with Great American Conference foe Henderson State. After the opening game, the second game is scheduled for Saturday, where the winning and losing teams of the two opening round games (Tech/HSU and Missouri Western/Central Missouri) will face one another. The winning teams are slated to face off at noon Saturday and the losing teams are slated for a 2:30 p.m. matchup.

The winner of the four-team, double elimination event will advance to face the winner of the Central Region's other sub-regional, being played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and featuring host Augustana, Central Oklahoma, East Central, and Winona State in a best-of-three super regional. The site of that super regional is to be determined.

The Golden Suns' NCAA tournament appearance is the first in the 13-year history of the program, and caps a historic program that saw the Golden Suns establish several program firsts, including the first national ranking in program history.

Visit arkansastechsports.com on Friday for the latest information on schedule changes in this weekend's regional event.