BTN.com staff, May 10, 2015

Four Big Ten teams were selected to the 2015 NCAA Softball Tournament, as announced on the NCAA Selection Show Sunday night.

[ MORE: View the official interactive NCAA bracket ]

Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern will represent the conference in this year's bracket, which will get underway on Thursday with regional action. Michigan will host the Ann Arbor Regional as the No. 3 seed.

Michigan advances to its 23rd NCAA Tournament, having appeared in every event since 1995. The Wolverines, who have advanced to 10 Women's College World Series in program history, enter NCAA play having won the Big Ten Championship and the Big Ten Tournament Championship. Michigan will open play at home against Oakland on Friday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Also taking part in the Ann Arbor Regional will be Pittsburgh and California.

[ MORE: Just how dominant was Michigan? Check out the numbers! ]

Minnesota returns to the NCAA bracket for the third straight season, making its 10th all-time appearance. The Gophers will travel to the Tucson Regional, and take on New Mexico State on Friday. No. 12 seed Arizona will host the Tucson Regional, which will also include St. John?s.

Nebraska makes its 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 19th in the last 21 seasons. The Huskers will face Arizona State on Friday in the Baton Rouge Regional in Baton Rouge, La., with No. 5 seed LSU and Texas Southern also taking part in the regional.

Northwestern is making its 15th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will take on Kentucky in the South Bend Regional on Friday. Notre Dame, the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament field, will host the regional, while Ball State completes the South Bend Regional field.

The 64-team field is divided into 16, four-team double-elimination regionals, which begin Thursday. The 16 regional winners advance to super regionals, where eight will emerge as Women's College World Series participants.