GREENSBORO, N.C. – Fresh off its third NCAA appearance, the reigning Southern Conference (SoCon) champion UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team and 10^th-year head coach Janelle Breneman released the 2022 schedule Monday morning.
 
Among the highlights:

• A trip to Miami.
• Nine games against five teams that played in NCAA Regionals last season.
• 10 contests against teams from four of the five Power 5 conferences, including home contests against Oregon and Duke.
• 15 doubleheaders.
• UNCG will play games against schools from 15 different conferences.
• UNCG begins its 28-game home schedule hosting the Spiro Classic with Rider and George Washington from Friday, February 18 to Sunday, February 20.

UNCG will open the season at the Felsberg Invitational hosted by Florida International University in Miami, Florida from Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13. The Spartans kick off the season with the University of Tennessee on Friday at 10:00 a.m., the Lady Vols made their 18^th NCAA Tournament appearance in May.
"Our opening weekend in Florida will be a great test for Team 37," stated Breneman. "We are continuing to build on what our fall season revealed. I anticipate this group being ready to dive into an important pre-season training on January 8th."
 
When the Spartans return from Florida, they stay in state for 37-straight games with 25 of them being played at home. UNCG will host the Spiro Classic (February 18-20), the UNCG Invitational (February 25-27), and the Spartan Classic (March 10-13). In between, UNCG will play at Anderson Stadium in the Carolina Classic, hosted by UNC, from March 4-6.
 
"There is no better place to play than on our beautiful field in front of our wonderful Spartan faithful," Breneman said. "Our fans will be treated to exciting softball competition all season long. I want to encourage fans to come out and support us and pack the house."
 
The Spartans will face five opponents who made it to the NCAA Tournament last year, including traveling to Buies Creek, N.C. to face Campbell (February 16), hosting George Washington (February 19 and 20), welcoming Pac-12 member Oregon to the stadium (March 3), hosting Saint Francis (March 11 and 12) and Duke (April 6).
 
In its first game in program history against the Blue Devils in May, UNCG fell 2-0 in its opening NCAA Tournament game.
 
"No one game is more important than the other, however our out of conference play will prepare us for important Southern Conference matchups."

The Spartans will host SoCon opponents Mercer (March 26-27), Chattanooga (April 9-10), and Furman (April 30-May 1). UNCG will travel to conference members Western Carolina (April 2-3), ETSU (April 15-16), and Samford (May 7-8).
 
UNCG's conference schedule is intertwined with non-conference matchups welcoming Radford for a doubleheader to Greensboro (March 30), the Lady Vol Challenge (April 23-24) with East Carolina and Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. , and Charlotte (May 4) at home.
 
The 2022 SoCon Tournament will be held from May 11-14 on campus at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
"The 2022 season can not get here soon enough," Breneman said. "We are eager to have fun and be challenged on the field! I look forward to the spring and seeing our team continue to develop on and off the field. This team is fun, dynamic and entertaining. Come see us play at home on February 18th. Go Spartans!"