Spartans Softball Releases 2010 Schedule
7/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
July 25, 2009
Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate head softball coach Chris Hawkins has released the 2010 schedule, one marked with a full slate of A-Sun games as well as 17 home dates, including a home-and-home series against in-state and university system rival South Carolina.
The 2010 season marks the first year that the softball program will enjoy full benefits as members of NCAA Division I. One of two programs to be fast-tracked into full NCAA membership, the softball program has finished its provisional period in the NCAA and is now eligible for postseason tournament play in the A-Sun and NCAA. The men's soccer program joins softball as fast-track programs into Division I. All other programs at the University have two seasons remaining as provisional members of NCAA Division I as part of the University's transition into Division I membership and will be eligible for postseason play in 2011-12.
"I look forward to playing what I believe is a truly demanding schedule," said Hawkins. "The A-Sun games alone are tremendously difficult and are made more important now that we are full members of Division I. We have to be ready to play each and every game to be able to make it as one of the six teams to earn a spot in the conference tournament. I think the change is going to be great for the players and the program in general.
"In addition to our A-Sun games, we have a very demanding non-conference schedule highlighted by two games with South Carolina. Being able to play them here in Spartanburg in our home stadium is big for our program. We are going to be put to the test in and out of our conference, but I look forward to the challenges that the schedule will present."
The softball season will start on Feb. 12 as Upstate travels to Columbia to take part in a tournament hosted by South Carolina. The three-day tournament boasts a field of several Division I institutions in the state, including Upstate, South Carolina, Winthrop, Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, Furman, South Carolina State and Gardner-Webb from just over the state line in North Carolina.
Following the tournament at South Carolina, Upstate will spend the better part of the next month at home. In fact, the Spartans will play 17 dates and 31 games at home in Cyrill Stadium. Upstate plays home A-Sun games against Florida Gulf Coast, Stetson, Kennesaw State, Mercer and ETSU. The Spartans will host non-conference games against Tusculum, Siena, Charleston Southern, Western Carolina, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, South Carolina and Winthrop. The game against South Carolina is a single game on April 14 at 5:00 p.m. In addition, the Spartans will host the Spartan Classic Feb. 19-21, a four-team tournament with Eastern Kentucky, Liberty and Maryland-Baltimore County coming to Cyrill Stadium.
Upstate will hit the road in A-Sun play against Belmont, Lipscomb, North Florida, Jacksonville, and Campbell. The Spartans will play non-conference road games at North Carolina A&T, Furman, Gardner-Webb and South Carolina (April 6). Upstate will also play in Winthrop's tournament.
A tough schedule inside and outside the A-Sun, Upstate will play 14 teams ranked in the Top 150 in the final NCAA RPI ranking, including eight in the Top 100. Within the A-Sun alone there are four opponents ranked in the Top 100 in the RPI with Florida Gulf Coast leading the way at No. 26 and followed by Mercer (48), Campbell (52) and North Florida (85). Upstate finished the season ranked No. 88 in the final RPI ranking.
Now a full member of NCAA Division I, the Upstate softball program will battle nine other A-Sun programs for a spot in the six-team A-Sun Tournament hosted by Stetson in DeLand, Fla., May 13-15. The winner of the A-Sun Tournament earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. Upstate has had early success in the A-Sun, claiming a share of the regular season championship in its first season in the league in 2008 and finishing fifth last season. The Spartans have combined for a 27-15 record in A-Sun play and a 63-31 mark overall in its first two years playing Division I softball.
