Spartan Softball Announces 2008 Schedule
7/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
July 25, 2007
Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate head softball coach Chris Hawkins announces the 2008 schedule, the first in NCAA Division I for the program that has been to four straight NCAA Division II Tournaments.
In addition to 11 tough Atlantic Sun Conference dates, Upstate will face non-conference competition against 2007 NCAA Tournament foes Winthrop and Furman as well as UNC Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, UNC Wilmington, Middle Tennessee State, Charleston Southern and Tusculum. In addition, the Spartans will play top competition in tournaments at North Carolina and UNC Charlotte.
"With the move to Division I we have a very difficult schedule," said Hawkins. "The A-Sun is a tough league and the non-conference portion of our schedule doesn't get any easier. We will have to show up for every game and give it everything we have. I believe the schedule will give us a good indication of where we are in our first year in Division I and where we need to be as we move ahead."
Upstate opens the season on Feb. 13 against Division II opponent Tusculum at Cyrill Stadium. The Spartans then host Winthrop on Feb. 20 in a return to campus for Eagles head coach Mark Cooke. Cooke was the head coach at USC Upstate from 1987-89 and compiled a 69-57 record at the school.
Upstate will hit the road to play in UNC Charlotte's tournament on Feb. 23-24. The Spartans will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., to play in North Carolina's tournament on Mar. 7-8 before heading to the coast to play UNC Wilmington and Coastal Carolina. Upstate opens Atlantic Sun Conference play Mar. 15 against Belmont at Cyrill Stadium.
Upstate will play five Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheaders at home and hit the road for six league dates. The Spartans host Belmont, Kennesaw State, East Tennessee State, Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast at Cyrill Stadium. Upstate hits the road in league play at Campbell, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, North Florida, Lipscomb and Mercer.
The Spartans will play non-conference opponents Tusculum, Winthrop, Charleston Southern, UNC Charlotte and Furman at Cyrill Stadium. Upstate hits the road in non-conference action at UNC Charlotte, Charleston Southern, North Carolina, UNC Wilmington, Coastal Carolina, Furman, Middle Tennessee State, and Presbyterian.
In addition to the spring schedule, Upstate will participate in three fall tournaments to prepare for the 2008 season. The Spartans will play in tournaments at Furman in September and Winthrop in October, while hosting an event at Cyrill Stadium in September.
