ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team returns to the diamond to host its season-opening tournament, the Elon Softball Classic, this weekend, Feb. 10-11, playing four games against the field of Morgan State, North Carolina Central and Winthrop at Hunt Softball Park. North Carolina A&T will also participate in the tournament.
 
ELON SOFTBALL CLASSIC SCHEDULE (ELON GAMES ONLY)

• Friday, February 10^th
  • 12:00 PM – vs. Winthrop
  • 2:30 PM – vs. NC Central

• Saturday, February 11^th
  • 12:00 PM – vs. Morgan State
  • 2:30 PM – vs. Winthrop

 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the tournament by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Updates will also be posted on Twitter at the team's account @ElonSoftball.
• Elon's game against North Carolina Central on Friday, Feb. 10, at 2:30 p.m. will stream on FloSoftball via a paid subscription.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
• Morgan State: Elon holds a 5-0 all-time lead over Morgan State in a series dating back to 2011. Both teams played last year at the Phoenix Invitational where the maroon and gold took a 2-0 decision against the Bears.
• North Carolina Central: The Phoenix and the Eagles have met 16 times in their series history going into 2023 with Elon posting a perfect 16-0 ledger. The Phoenix came away with a 7-0 verdict in their meeting last season.
• Winthrop: The Phoenix and the Eagles have met 23 times on the softball diamond with Winthrop holding a 14-9 series lead. Both teams last played in 2016 at the UGA Red and Black Showcase where the Phoenix swept the Eagles 15-0 and 17-3 in both of its games at the tournament.
 
SCHAAL, MCCARD NAMED TO 2023 CAA PRESEASON WATCH LIST
• Junior Gabi Schaal and sophomore McKenna McCard were selected to the inaugural Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Watch List as announced by the league office on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• A third-team All-CAA selection last season, Schaal led the Phoenix in home runs (nine) and RBI (38) while hitting .316 overall with nine doubles. She also had 12 multi-RBI games. Despite missing the final 13 games of the year due to an injury, the Lakeland, Fla., native still finished second in the CAA in RBI, fourth in homers and eighth overall in slugging percentage (.624).
• McCard earned CAA All-Tournament team honors after helping the Phoenix clinch a spot in the league championship game for the second time in program history with her performance in the circle. The Ashburn, Ga., native went 3-3 on the season with a 3.27 ERA in 51.1 innings while only holding opposing hitters to a .182 average. She also struck out 48 batters, which finished second on the team.
 
2023 CAA PRESEASON POLL
• The Phoenix was predicted a fourth-place standing in the 2023 CAA Preseason Poll as released by the league office on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• Reigning tournament champion UNCW was chosen as the CAA's preseason favorite, piling up 95 points and five first-place votes. Defending regular-season champion Delaware took second place with 91 points while tying UNCW with five first-place votes. Hofstra was placed third with 80 points and one first-place vote while Elon had 71 points in fourth. Fifth place was occupied by league newcomer Stony Brook, which had 69 points.
• College of Charleston (54) was rated sixth in the poll followed by Drexel (45) and Towson (33) in seventh and eighth, respectively. League newcomers Monmouth (31), Hampton (21) and North Carolina A&T (15) rounded out the 11-team poll.
 
BOCOCK CHASING HISTORY
• Elon head coach Kathy Bocock is set to become the program's longest-tenured head coach at the Division I era as she begins her 12^th season at the helm of the program in 2023. Bocock and Patti Raduenz (2001-11) both have coached the Phoenix for 11 seasons as the head coach.
• Bocock is also four wins shy of becoming the program's all-time career leader in wins as she sits with 274 victories as the head coach at Elon, trailing only Raduenz on the team's all-time list with her 277 wins.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is coming off a 30-22 ledger in 2022 and went 10-8 in the CAA. Highlight victories from last season include wins over Power 5 opponents North Carolina and Michigan State while also earning its second-ever trip to the CAA championship game.
• The Phoenix returns 13 players from last year's team, including six starters and four pitchers. Among the notable returners outside of Schaal and McCard include CAA All-Rookie selection Taylor Cherry and CAA All-Tournament choices in catcher senior Carley Davis and sophomore Chloe Hatzopoulos.
• The 2023 schedule for the maroon and gold will feature eight teams that made the postseason last season and 28 games on its home diamond at Hunt Softball Park. The slate is also scheduled to feature five teams from Power 5 conferences, 14 that posted winning records in 2022 and three teams that finished in the top 35 in 2022 RPI including two teams in the top 25 that will play at Hunt Softball Park.
• Six fresh faces will make their debut this season in an Elon uniform including a pair of transfers. Sophomore outfielder Reagan Hartley and junior pitcher Meredith Wells join the Phoenix after beginning their collegiate careers at Chattanooga State and James Madison, respectively. Hartley batted .346 in 179 at bats and ranked 11th in the nation in stolen bases with 51. She also drove in 27 RBI and scored 55 runs in 60 games last season. Wells is coming off making 12 appearances in the circle with the Dukes including going 3-1 this past spring with an ERA of 4.59 in 29.0 innings of action.
• Both Hartley and Wells will join first-year players Michaela Hobson (RHP), Mauri Murray (UT), Payton Swart (IN) and Mary Moss Wirt (C/UT) as the newcomers for the Phoenix.
• Last season, Elon's pitching staff was one of the more formidable units in the CAA. The Phoenix finished third in the league in ERA at 2.98, which was the team's best since 2017. Elon also tied for the league lead in shutouts with 10 and was second in strikeouts (238) and opposing batting average (.246).
• Among one of the top hurlers returning for the Phoenix is Cherry, who led the Phoenix in innings pitched (88.2), strikeouts (87) and saves (two) while going 7-7 with a 3.39 ERA. The Suffolk, Va., native became the third pitcher in school history to toss a perfect game with her outing versus ECU last season.
• Another sophomore, Isley Duggins, also looks to build off her rookie campaign. The Burlington, N.C., native finished second on the team last year in ERA (2.61) in her 64.1 innings pitched and earned a complete-game win versus North Carolina. She finished second in the CAA in opposing batting average at .193.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Morgan State
• The Bears are coming off a 31-15 record in 2022 including an 18-3 mark during Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play as they advanced to the conference championship game. This season, Morgan State was tabbed to finish second behind reigning MEAC champion Howard in the 2023 MEAC Preseason poll.
• Among the top returners for the Bears include junior pitcher Anaya Hunte, the 2023 MEAC Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year. The reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year, Hunte helped Morgan State to a school record 31 wins a year ago. Hunte went 15-3 on the season with 18 starts, two saves and eight complete games. She pitched 122.1 innings while allowing 88 hits, 30 walks and striking out 142 batters.
• Other notable returners for the Bears include MEAC second-team selections in senior pitcher Melissa Paz, junior shortstop Mia Ewell and senior outfielder Asia Thomas.
 
North Carolina Central
• After a 12-36 campaign in 2022 and an 8-13 mark in the MEAC, North Carolina Central was tabbed to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll this year.
• The Eagles return three All-MEAC first-team honorees in redshirt junior third baseman Maegan Garrison, junior shortstop Jaylah Barr and junior catcher Hailey Batista. Batista (.913), Barr (.911) and Garrison (.755) have NCCU's top OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) out of everyday fielders from last season. Barr and Batista tied for the team lead in home runs, which was good for seventh most in the MEAC.
 
Winthrop
• The Eagles are coming off an 18-37 season with a 10-17 conference record as they return a veteran roster with five of their top six batters and 100 percent of the pitching staff. Winthrop was voted to finish sixth in the 2023 Big South Preseason poll.
• Leading the 2023 roster is two-time All-Big South selection Macy McCall and 2022 All-Big South selection Paige Rivas. Rivas led the team in batting with a .354 average and in stolen bases with 25. McCall led in runs with 38 and was second with 23 stolen bases. The team's top RBI leader from last year Kaitlyn Tucker also returns.
• The pitching staff is led by sophomore pitchers Reese Basinger and Sydney Boulware as well as senior Bella Roy. The trio combined for 341.1 of the team's 347.1 innings pitched.
 
ON DECK
Elon travels to in-state rival North Carolina on Wednesday, Feb. 15, for a midweek contest against the Tar Heels. Game time is set for 5 p.m.