Tournament:  Felsberg Invitational
When: Friday, February 11 - Sunday, February 13
Where: Miami, Fla. | FIU Softball Stadium
Game 1: vs. No. 16 Tennessee | Feb. 11 | 10 am| Live Stats
Game 2: vs. FIU | Feb. 11 | 3 pm | Live Stats | Watch ($$)
Game 3: vs. Maryland | Feb. 12 | 10am | Live stats

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team breaks open the 2022 season with the Felsberg Invitational, hosted by Florida International University (FIU) from Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13.

The Spartans face two Power Five opponents, including their season-opening matchup against No. 19 Tennessee on Friday morning, followed by a contest against Maryland on Saturday morning. In between the two games, UNCG takes on host FIU on Friday afternoon.
 
PRESEASON PRESENTS
UNCG was chosen as the Southern Conference (SoCon) favorite in the preseason poll for the second-straight season.
Graduate student Makenna Matthijs was voted Preseason Player of the Year, as well as to the first team as an outfielder.
 
Junior Morgan Scott was selected as Preseason Pitcher of the Year, as well as to the first team.
 
Senior catcher Delaney Cumbie and junior infielder Maycin Brown were also tabbed on the first team.
 
Sophomore infielder Brooklynn Maxwell was voted to the second team.

FRESH FACES
Head Coach Janelle Breneman welcomed five additions to the 2022 Blue & Gold squad, including two pitchers, two infielders, and an outfielder.
The pitchers: Reese Byrd (Suffolk, Va.) and Graysen Hunter (Williamston, S.C.)
The infielders: Jessie Shipley (Sugar Land, Texas) and Meredith Harwood (Stanfield, N.C.)
The outfielder: Grace Loftin (Conover, N.C.)
 
Get to know Hunter, Byrd, and Loftin
Get to know Shipley and Harwood
 
DEPTH IN RETURNERS
Fourteen Spartans are listed on the roster from last year's team, including eight that started in 20 or more of the 51 games played in 2021.
 
Last season the Spartans saw five players bat above .300. Three of the five are returning, including offensive leader Matthijs who averaged .355 at the plate and was third in the SoCon. The two others are: Brown (.352) and Maxwell (.301).
 
Matthijs, Scott, Cumbie, and Brown also return as UNCG had six ranked in the top 100 in individual stat categories. Scott was named SoCon Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, as well as selected to the All-SoCon first team in 2021.
 
SCOUTING NO. 16 TENNESSEE

• The Lady Vols were chosen fourth in the 2022 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The 2021 season concluded with Tennessee's 18^th consecutive full season with 40-plus wins, coming off a 42-15 campaign.
• Thirteen players return from the 2021 squad.
• An experienced trio of super seniors who elected to return for their COVID-19 exempt fifth season of eligibility includes Amanda Ayala, Ashley Morgan, and Ivy Davis.
• Heading into her 21^st season at Tennessee, Head Coach Karen Weekly brought in 10 newcomers, including four transfers out of the Big 12 Conference and six true freshmen that were ranked as the No. 12 signing class in the nation.
• Junior outfielder Kiki Milloy and senior pitcher Ashley Rogers were selected to the Preseason All-SEC team.
• This duo has garnered a plethora of preseason recognition, including Preseason All-America honors from D1softball and a mention on the 50-player watch list for USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Year.
• At the conclusion of 2021, both were named All-America second team by the NFCA and All-SEC first team.

HISTORY VS. TENNESSEE

• The Spartans are 0-4 against the Lady Vols.
• UNCG last played Tennessee in the Eagle Round Robin in Statesboro, Georgia on February 11, and February 12, 2017.

SCOUTING FIU

• FIU was voted to take eighth in the 2022 Conference USA (C-USA) preseason poll.
• The 2021 season ended with a 14-26 overall mark and a 6-13 record in conference play. This placed them sixth in the East division.
• Senior Venessa Gallegos, an NFCA All-South Region second team selection returns as one of six seniors.
• The second basemen had her best year as a Panther in 2021, leading the team in batting average (.352), hits (43), and RBI (33).
• Gallegos also earned C-USA first team recognition.
• Classmate Kayla Whitehead is the only other 2021 All-C-USA honoree from FIU to return.
• Whitehead received second team honors, earning the second-highest batting average on the team (.311), and third-highest for hits (37) and RBI (19).
• FIU signed seven freshmen to the 2022 squad.
• The Panthers are led by first-year head coach Mike Larabee, former assistant coach of Maryland.

HISTORY VS. FIU

• This will be the first matchup against the Spartans and the Panthers

 
SCOUTING MARYLAND

• The Terps finished 2021 with an overall record of 19-25, where all 44 games were Big Ten play.
• Sophomore Jeada McFarland, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season returns. She was also voted to the All-Big Ten second team, freshman team, and defensive team.
• McFarland led the team in multiple categories, including games started (44), runs scored (24), hits (46, 9^th in B1G), RBIs (19), triples (4, 4^th in B1G), total bases (68), and stolen bases (13, 17^th in B1G).
• Senior Taylor Okada was also named to the All-Big Ten second team as a second baseman, in addition to finishing the season second overall in the Big Ten in hitting (.338).
• Along with three freshmen additions to the 2022 roster, third-year head coach Mark Montgomery added two transfers.

 
HISTORY VS. MARYLAND

• The Spartans are 0-2 against the Terrapins.
• UNCG last played Maryland on March 3, 2019 in the Carolina Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.