Thursday, February 16
Who: vs. Virginia
Time: 4 PM
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
Tickets: FREE Admission
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
 
Saturday, February 18
Spiro Classic - Tournament Central
Who: vs. Morehead State
Time: Noon
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
Tickets: FREE Admission
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
 
Who: vs. UNC Wilmington
Time: 2:30 PM
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
Tickets: FREE Admission
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
 
Sunday, February 19
Spiro Classic – Tournament Central
Who: vs. Morehead State
Time: 1:30 PM
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
Tickets: FREE Admission
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
 
Who: vs. UNC Wilmington
Time: 4 PM
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
Tickets: FREE Admission
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team returns to Greensboro for its home opener against ACC opponent Virginia on Thursday, February 16 with a first pitch slated for 4:00 p.m.
 
The Spartans then host Morehead State and UNC Wilmington in the Spiro Classic from Saturday, February 18 to Sunday, February 19. This will be their first of three tournaments hosted at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

The Spartans return home after posting a 3-2 record at the FGCU Kickoff Classic. The Cavaliers came back from the University of Houston Tournament with a 4-1 overall record.
 
All softball games at the UNCG Softball Stadium are free admission and fans can bring in outside food and drinks. Concession will not be open this weekend.
 
LAST TIME OUT

• The Spartans concluded the FGCU Kickoff Classic with a 10-1 five-inning victory over Binghamton.
• Delaney Cumbie and Grace Loftin led the way for the Spartans at the plate.
• Cumbie went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, a solo home run, and two doubles
• Loftin went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, six RBI, a grand slam, and two doubles
• Loftin's grand slam was the second for the Spartans this year and her third of her collegiate career.
• Freshman Rhyann Jones earned her second-collegiate win, striking out three and allowing just five hits in 5.0 innings of work.

QUICK SPARTAN HITS

• Cumbie was named SoCon Player of the Week this week following the Spartans' 3-2 start in Florida.
• She is on a five-game hit streak after going 9-for-16 with seven runs scored, three RBI, two doubles, one homer, and four walks.
• Brooklynn Maxwell is also on a five-game hit streak.
• Maycin Brown leads the Spartans with two home runs, one being a grand slam, and eight RBI.
• In the circle, Jorde Chartrand and Jones lead the Spartans with nine strikeouts each.
• Chartrand has the Spartans other win.
• Nationally, the Spartans are: fourth in doubles (12) and doubles per game (2.40), 13th in triples per game (0.60), 32nd in scoring (6.60), 38th in shutouts (1) and slugging percentage (0.523), 48th in home runs per game (0.80).
• UNCG is leading the conference in doubles, doubles per game, scoring, and triples per game.
• Among the nation, Blayke Batten, Cumbie, and Loftin are all leading the conference and eighth in doubles (3).

 
PRESEASON PRESENTS
UNCG was chosen to finish second in the SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll.

Fifth year Cumbie was selected to the Preseason All-SoCon first team. Cumbie was named to the All-SoCon first team and SoCon All-Tournament Team. She earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
 
Senior Maycin Brown was voted to the Preseason All-SoCon first team. Brown was named to the All-SoCon first team. She was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week, SoCon Player of the Week, and SoCon Player of the Month last season.
 
Sophomore Loftin was tabbed to the Preseason All-SoCon first team. Loftin was on the All-SoCon first team and freshman team. She was also voted to the NFCA Extra Inning Softball All-Freshman Team and All-Mideast second team. She was also selected as a Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 finalist.
 
Fifth year Samantha Lagrama was named to the Preseason All-SoCon second team. Lagrama was named to the All-SoCon second team.

FRESH FACES
Head Coach Janelle Breneman welcomed seven additions to the 2023 roster, including freshmen Rylie Williams, Salem Ward, Rhyann Jones, and Kiley McQuillan.
 
She also added redshirt sophomore Maddie Spell, who transferred from George Washington, junior Jaden Cheek who transferred from Clemson, and sophomore Jorde Chartrand who transferred from Central Arkansas.
 
DEPTH IN RETURNERS
Thirteen Spartans are listed on the roster from last year's team, including seven that started in 20 or more of the 57 games played in 2022.
 
Last season the Spartans saw three players bat above .300. Two of the three are returning, including offensive leader Brown who led the team with a .329 batting average. Cumbie was second on the team with a .303 batting average.  

Cumbie and Brooklynn Maxwell return, as two of UNCG's five that were ranked in the top 100 in individual stat categories. Cumbie was fourth in hit-by-pitch per game (0.42), 40th in home runs (16), 47th in home runs per game (0.30), 63rd in runs per game (0.91), 82nd in on-base percentage (0.473). Maxwell was 21st in toughest-to-strikeout (23.3).
 
SCOUTING VIRGINIA

• Virginia finished sixth overall in the ACC last year and made an appearance at the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC).
• The Cavaliers were voted to finish eighth in this year's ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Eden Bigham was named ACC Pitcher of the Week after a no-hit shutout and a pair of saves last week.
• M.C. Eaton leads the team at the plate with three home runs, seven RBI, and a .357 average.
• Transfer Jenny Bressler made her debut in the circle with the Cavaliers, posting a 2-0 record through 12.0 innings pitched. She struck out 14 total.
• Currently the Cavaliers are 10-for-13 in stolen base attempts. Their 2.00 stolen bases per game is 32nd nationally.
• Virginia's 1.80 home runs per game is currently 10th nationally and second in the ACC.
• Leah Boggs and Bressler were named to Extra Inning Softball Preseason lists.
• Boggs led the ACC in runners caught stealing (16) and was eighth nationally.
• Bressler was also named to the D1 Softball Preseason Top 100.

HISTORY VS. VIRGINIA

• Virginia leads the series 19-8.
• The Spartans won last year's meeting 6-4.
• UNCG has won six-straight against Virginia, dating back to 2013, the longest for the Spartans in the all-time series.

SCOUTING MOREHEAD STATE

• Morehead State is opening its season with the Spiro Classic after playing a doubleheader against Alice Lloyd (Ky.).
• Last season, Madeline Gailor led the team with a 0.286 batting average, 18 RBI, swinging 28-for-98. She also stole a team-high 12 bases.
• Kirya Kingery returns, as she was second on the team last year with a 0.264 batting average
• Trinity Spear is returning for the Eagles, as she led the team with 16 runs scored last season.

HISTORY VS. MOREHEAD STATE

• The Spartans lead the series 4-2.
• UNCG last defeated the Eagles on March 3, 2012 in the Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Georgia, 9-3.
• UNCG has won the last two contests against the Eagles.

 
SCOUTING UNCW

• Last season, UNCW went 32-15 overall and 11-8 in the CAA.
• The Seahawks won the program's first CAA Tournament Championship, earning an NCAA automatic bid.
• The Seahawks enter the weekend 2-3 overall.
• UNCW defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 2-1 in eight innings and 7-0.
• Janel Gamache was named CAA Player of the Week with a .400 batting average, two RBI, one homer, one double, and one triple.
• In the circle, Gamache also went 1-0 in 7.0 innings pitched with four strikeouts in a 7-0 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne.
• Mary Sobataka leads the team with three RBI and one home run.
• Tayler Vitola is second on the team with a .357 batting average.

 
HISTORY VS. UNCW

• UNCG leads the series 42-14-1
• The Spartans swept the Seahawks in 2021 with scores of 9-0 (5 inn.), 13-8, and 9-3 in Greensboro, N.C. from March 5-6.