SPARTANBURG, SC – The reigning 2024 Big South Softball Champions, USC Upstate, will look to defend their crown in the 2025 season, which begins inside the friendly confines of Hawkins Field at Cyrill Softball Stadium on Friday, February 7, 2025 at the Spartan Classic against Mid-American Conference-foe Akron.
 
Head Coach Chris Hawkins said, "We have our first three weekends at home, which will be a big benefit to us." The Spartans return the core of their 2024 championship team, including their top eight hitters, ready to take the field for the green and white.

"We have a lot of experience, but we still need to start the right way," Hawkins added. "If we can continually improve with each game, especially heading into conference play, I'll consider that a win for the program."
 
The 2025 non-conference schedule features three tournaments, all held in Spartanburg. The season's "first pitch" will be at the Spartan Classic, running through Sunday, February 9 including Akron, Monmouth and Bowling Green. Upstate continues its home tournament stretch with the Wings Etc. Classic, beginning on Valentine's Day, featuring matchups against IU-Indy and Canisius.
 
Next, the Spartans co-host the Upstate Classic, welcoming Eastern Kentucky, SC State, North Carolina A&T, and Colgate to Spartanburg.
 
The Spartans hit the road for the first time on Wednesday, February 26 for a doubleheader at Furman.  The road swing continues with the Coach Cooke Memorial Tournament beginning Friday, February 28 hosted by Winthrop. The Spartans will face Charlotte, St. Bonaventure, Southern Indiana, and Youngstown State in the tournament.
 
USC Upstate's first games outside the Palmetto State are slated for Friday, March 7, through Sunday, March 9, at the Stetson Invitational in Florida, where they'll also take on Bryant and Quinnipiac. Returning home, the Spartans host South Dakota in a midweek matchup on March 13, marking the Coyotes' first-ever visit to Spartanburg.
 
Big South Conference play begins on Friday, March 14, at Presbyterian College, with the Spartans hosting their first home conference series against Winthrop starting Friday, April 4.
 
The Spartans' lone matchup against a "power conference" opponent comes on Wednesday, April 9, when they travel to Georgia for a midweek contest.
 
"Georgia is a great program," Hawkins said. "My hope is that the experience will help us as we build toward the conference tournament and, hopefully, another NCAA Tournament berth."
 
The 2025 Big South Conference Championship will be held May 7-10 in Clinton, SC hosted by Presbyterian College.   
 
Connect with the Spartans        
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics        
X (Twitter) | @UpstateSoftball @UpstateSpartans        
Instagram | @UpstateSoftball @UpstateSpartans        
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans