GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro softball head coach Jennifer Herzig has unveiled the 2009 softball schedule. The slate includes 23 games at the UNCG Softball Stadium, including the UNCG Spartan Classic.
"I am extremely excited about our 2009 schedule," said Herzig. "In addition to having our yearly non-conference doubleheaders with some great in-state opponents, we have some great match-ups with top teams from other conferences. Going to compete in the early season tournaments at the University of South Florida and Georgia will really test us to truly see where we are at that point in the spring, leading up to conference play. Additionally, this will be our third year of hosting out annual Spartan Classic, which is always a great weekend to welcome other teams to Greensboro for a great three days of competition."
First pitch of the season will take place in Tampa, FL as the Spartans take part in the USF Tournament on Feb. 6-8. UNCG will play against North Florida, host University of South Florida, Illinois State, Florida Gulf Coast and Minnesota while in Tampa. UNCG then goes to the Green and White Tournament on Feb. 13-15, facing Army, UNC Wilmington and host Charlotte. At the Green and White Tournament, Herzig will be playing against her alma mater as she was a four-year member of the 49ers team. The Spartans then travel to Athens, GA on Feb. 20-22 for the University of Georgia Tournament. UNCG plays its first doubleheader of the season at 3 p.m. on Feb. 25 as the Spartans are at North Carolina.
UNCG concludes regular-season tournament action as well as opens its home schedule with the third-annual UNCG Spartan Classic on Feb. 27-Mar. 1. The Spartans will host Ohio University, Robert Morris, Rider and Georgetown. UNCG opens the tournament against Rider at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27. The tournament continues for UNCG on Saturday with games against Ohio (12 Noon) and Robert Morris (2:30 p.m.). The Spartans wrap up the tournament that Sunday against Georgetown at 1 p.m.
Southern Conference play begins for the Spartans in Cullowhee, NC with a three-game series at Western Carolina on Mar. 7-8. UNCG returns to UNCG Softball Stadium on Mar. 14-15 with a three-game series versus defending SoCon champion Chattanooga. The Spartans will play their third-straight SoCon series at Furman on Mar. 21-22. UNCG hosts Harvard on Mar. 24 and then plays a doubleheader at North Carolina A&T on Mar. 25 before playing nine-straight home games. The Spartan have a three-game SoCon series with Appalachian State on Mar. 28-29. The Spartans play a mid-week doubleheader with Campbell on Mar. 31. After a one-and-a-half week hiatus, UNCG returns to the field on Apr. 10-11, welcoming Samford to the UNCG Softball Stadium for a three-game series. The homestand concludes on Apr. 14 as Charlotte comes to town for a doubleheader.
UNCG hits the road for the first time in nearly a month as they travel to Georgia Southern for a three-game series on Apr. 18-19. The Spartans are then at East Carolina on Apr. 22 for a doubleheader.
UNCG plays its final home conference series on Apr. 25-26 when College of Charleston visits the UNCG Softball Stadium. The home schedule wraps up on Apr. 29 with the Spartans hosting Liberty in a doubleheader. Meanwhile, the regular season ends on May 2-3 with a three-game conference series at Elon.
Chattanooga will host the SoCon Championship, which will take place May 6-9 at Jim Frost Stadium.
The Spartans finished the 2008 season with a 23-33 overall record and a 7-11 SoCon mark. In the 2008 SoCon Championship, UNCG advanced to the winner's bracket for the first time in program history with a 2-0 upset over top-seeded Chattanooga. The Spartans return 14 players from last year's team, including pitchers Hannah Angel and Amber Harrell.
AGATE
2009 UNCG softball schedule
Feb. 6 vs. North Florida (USF Tournament), 9 a.m.; Feb. 6
at University of South Florida (USF Tournament), 1:30 p.m.; Feb. 7
vs. Illinois State (USF Tournament), 9 a.m.; Feb. 7 vs. Florida
Gulf Coast (USF Tournament), 3:30 p.m.; Feb. 8 vs. Minnesota (USF
Tournament), 9 a.m.; Feb. 13 vs. UNC Wilmington (Charlotte
Tournament), 12:30 p.m.; Feb. 13 at Charlotte (Charlotte
Tournament), 4:30 p.m.; Feb. 14 vs. Army (Charlotte Tournament),
10:30 a.m.; Feb. 14 Pool Play (Charlotte Tournament), 2:30 p.m. or
4:30 p.m.; Feb. 15 Pool Play (Charlotte Tournament), 10:30 a.m. or
12:30 p.m.; Feb. 20-22 University of Georgia Tournament, TBA; Feb.
25 at North Carolina (DH), 3 p.m.; Feb. 27 RIDER (UNCG Spartan
Classic), 2 p.m.; Feb. 28 OHIO (UNCG Spartan Classic), 12 Noon;
Feb. 28 ROBERT MORRIS (UNCG Spartan Classic), 2:30 p.m.; Mar. 1
GEORGETOWN (UNCG Spartan Classic), 1 p.m.; Mar. 7 at Western
Carolina (DH), 1 p.m.; Mar. 8 at Western Carolina, 1 p.m.; Mar. 14
CHATTANOOGA (DH), 1 p.m.; Mar. 15 CHATTANOOGA, 1 p.m.; Mar. 21 at
Furman (DH), 1 p.m.; Mar. 22 at Furman, 1 p.m.; Mar. 24 HARVARD, 3
p.m.; Mar. 25 at North Carolina A&T (DH), 2 p.m.; Mar. 28
APPALACHIAN STATE (DH), 1 p.m.; Mar. 29 APPALACHIAN STATE 1 p.m.;
Mar. 31 CAMPBELL (DH), 4 p.m.; Apr. 10 SAMFORD (DH), 4 p.m.; Apr.
11 SAMFORD, 12 Noon; Apr. 14 CHARLOTTE (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 18 at
Georgia Southern (DH), 1 p.m.; Apr. 19 at Georgia Southern, 1 p.m.;
Apr. 22 at East Carolina (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 25 COLLEGE OF
CHARLESTON (DH), 1 p.m.; Apr. 26 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTION, 1 p.m.;
Apr. 29 LIBERTY (DH), 3 p.m.; May 2 at Elon (DH), 1 p.m.; May 3 at
Elon, 1 p.m.; May 6-9 vs. Southern Conference Championship (at
Chattanooga, TN), TBA
- UNCG -