The Tri-State tournament is similar to a true invitational because any team that is not located on the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Field that wishes to compete must be invited based on performances at other tournaments and at Q events. A team will typically play against the 8 or 9 other teams in its randomly assigned division. All of the teams are then sorted into new divisions based on their records such that they play against teams of similar skill during the tournament.
The Tri-State tournament is comparable to a true invitational where any team not at Mount Vernon Nazarene University Field must be invited if they want to participate. Teams typically play against 8 or 9 other randomly assigned teams in their division. Afterward, teams are reorganized into new divisions based on their records so that they can compete with similarly skilled opponents during the tournament.