GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team will begin the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament in the Athens Regional by facing No. 22/RV Clemson on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Jack Turner Softball Stadium on the University of Georgia campus.
 
Joining the Spartans and Tigers will be host, No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs and the College of Charleston Cougars. The four-team, three-day event features UNCG (42-17) facing the No. 22/RV Clemson Tigers (32-20) at 4:30 p.m. on Friday before Charleston (30-28) takes on No. 3 Georgia (38-18) at 7:00 p.m.
 
The top-seeded Spartans earned The Southern Conference's (SoCon) automatic bid after defeating the second-seeded Samford Bulldogs, 4-0, in the Championship game on Sunday at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was the 17^th shutout of the season, which is the most since 2000 when UNCG had 19.
 
UNCG earned its fourth SoCon sweep (2018, 2021, 2023, 2026) by securing its seventh Regular Season Title and fourth SoCon Championship. This is the first sweep since 2023. In four conference championships, this is the first shutout for the Spartans. 
 
UNCG has now surpassed the 40-win mark, and it is the second time in Head Coach Janelle Breneman's 14 seasons at UNCG and only fourth time in program history.
 
Click here for more information on the Athens Regional
 

Game 60: UNCG (42-17, 17-4 SoCon) vs. No. 6 Clemson (32-20, 13-11 ACC)
Date	Friday, May 15
Time	4:30 p.m.
Location	Jack Turner Softball Stadium (Athens, Ga.)
Coverage	Live Stats  | Watch (ACC Network)
Tickets	Click here to purchase tickets - $22 per day/$60 all session
Social Media	X: @uncgsoftball  Instagram: @uncgsb Facebook: UNCGSoftball

  
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• The Spartans dominated the 2026 SoCon Softball Tournament, defeating No. 4 Wofford, 19-4 (five innings) and No. 2 Samford (5-0 & 4-0) to secure the SoCon Tournament Title.
• The battery of SoCon Pitcher of the Year Brooklyn Shroyer and Madelyn McKinnon tossed their third one-hitter of the season in the SoCon Championship.
• The Spartans' four RBI in the game broke the single season record for RBI with 322, which they previously broke last year with 318.
• Shroyer was named the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team, while SoCon Freshman of the Year Avery Bouquin, Leane Deane and Macy Michael were also selected to the All-Tournament Team. Shroyer's Most Outstanding Player Award is the seventh for UNCG and first since 2023 when Maddie Spell earned the honor. McKinnon received the Pinnacle Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average on the championship-winning team.

RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS

• UNCG proved the 2026 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll to be correct as the team was voted as the favorite ahead of the 2026 season. The Spartans earned four first-place votes as well as 43 points.
• Kaylyn Belfield and Michael were voted to the Preseason All-SoCon First Team. Salem Ward, juniors Samantha Beck and Betsy Eatmon and sophomore Hadley Gardner all earned Preseason All-SoCon Second Team recognition.
• The Spartans return Belfield, who led the Spartans with a UNCG single season batting average record of .431.
• UNCG concluded the 2025 season with a 39-18 overall record and a 14-6 SoCon mark.
• UNCG has had two 10-game winning streaks this season, the first was from Feb. 13-24 and the second stretch was from March 13-29.
• The Spartans won every SoCon series this season, accomplishing the feat for the first time since 2022.
• UNCG has collected four SoCon weekly accolades this year: Nya South (April 27) & Shroyer (Feb. 23, March 9 & March 23).
• The Spartans dominated the 2026 postseason awards ahead of the SoCon Tournament, featuring 11 different accolades including Breneman notching her fifth SoCon Coach of the Year, Shroyer being named SoCon Pitcher of the Year & to the All-SoCon First Team and Bouquin earning SoCon Freshman of the Year, All-SoCon Second Team & All-Freshman Team.
• In addition, Michael and Belfield were named to the All-SoCon First Team, while Rhyann Jones, Laney Deane, Rylie Williams and South were selected to the All-SoCon Second Team. Jazmin Mejia was also voted to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
• Shroyer and South were voted to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Mid-Atlantic Second Team, while Bouquin was tabbed to the NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Third Team, announced on Thursday.
• Shroyer ranks in the top-50 nationally in nine categories including third in shutouts (11), sixth in hits allowed per seven innings (3.78), eighth in ERA (1.41), eighth in WHIP (0.88), 15^th in victories (21), 22^nd in strikeouts (185), 33^rd in strikeouts per seven innings (8.1), 40^th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.43) and 45^th in complete games (14).
• She paces the SoCon in six categories including ERA, hits allowed per seven innings, shutouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio, victories and WHIP.
• Bouquin stands out as 22^nd in the country with 18 doubles.
• South paces the SoCon with a .769 slugging percentage and a 0.69 walks per game average.
• Jones leads the league with a 1.70 walks allowed per seven innings average.
• UNCG is ranked in the top-50 nationally in 14 categories, including seventh in ERA (2.18), 10^th in hits allowed per seven innings (5.59), 12^th in WHIP (1.20), 20^th in doubles (96), 24^th in shutouts (10), win-loss percentage (.712), 36^th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.01), 34^th in hits (479), 41^st in RBI (322), 46^th in doubles per game (1.63), 46^th in home runs (67), 46^th in team strikeouts per seven innings (5.62), 49^th in total sacrifice bunts (32) and 50^th in total runs (338).
• The Spartans continue to lead the SoCon in nine categories, including doubles, doubles per game, ERA, hits allowed per seven innings, shutouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio, team strikeouts per seven innings, WHIP and win-loss percentage.

RUNDOWN ON CLEMSON

• The Tigers are coming into the NCAA Regionals at 32-20 overall and 13-11 in the ACC.
• Clemson most recently fell to North Carolina, 4-2, in the opening round of the ACC Championships on Wednesday, May 6.
• Taylor Pipkins and Sierra Maness were both named to the All-ACC Third Team, while Sarah Breaux was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team.
• Clemson ranks in the top-50 nationally in four categories including 15^th in shutouts (12), 24^th in double plays per game (0.50), 27^th in double plays (26) and 31^st in walks (218).
• Kiley Channell stands out at second in the country with a 0.25 sacrifice bunts per game average.
• Maness paces the ACC in complete games (13) and innings pitched (161.1). She leads Clemson in the circle with 106 strikeouts.
• Jamison Brockenbrough leads the Tigers with a .342 batting average and 47 runs scored.
• Corri Hicks paces the squad with 38 RBI and 11 homers on the season.
• Head Coach John Rittman is in his seventh season at the helm of the Clemson softball program and has led the team to a 269-98 record during his time.

PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
UNCGgear.com is your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!

UP NEXT
The winner of the Athens Regional will advance to a best-of-three NCAA Super Regionals against the winner of the Knoxville Regional between May 21-24. The Women's College World Series will be played in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at Devon Park from May 28 to June 4/5.