ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team will play four games this weekend as the Phoenix (5-8) will face Sacred Heart (2-2) and UNCG (12-3), co-hosting a round robin tournament with the Spartans.
 
Elon will play its first two games on Saturday, March 1, at Hunt Softball Park against Sacred Heart and UNCG. The tournament will conclude in Greensboro the following day, March 2, in a rematch against the two teams.
 
SCHEDULE (Elon games only)
• Elon vs. Sacred Heart, Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m.
• Elon vs. UNCG, Saturday, March 1 at 1:30 p.m.
• Elon vs. Sacred Heart, Sunday, March 2 at 11 a.m.
• Elon at UNCG, Sunday, March 2 at 4 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Elon's games on Friday will be streamed on FloCollege (FloSoftball) via a paid subscription.
• For more information on the Phoenix, follow the program's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram at @elonsoftball.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
Sacred Heart: This weekend will be the first time meetings between Elon and Sacred Heart on the softball diamond. Outside of UNCG, the other shared opponent that both teams will have faced on their schedule this season is Stony Brook.
UNCG: The Spartans are Elon's most-faced opponent during its fastpitch era (since 1990), with the Piedmont Triad rivals seeing each other 101 times going into the weekend. UNCG leads the all-time series, 58-42-1, and has won seven straight over the Phoenix. Both teams played each other earlier this season at the Elon Softball Classic with UNCG coming away with a 9-2 victory on Feb. 9.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix played at intrastate foe North Carolina on Wednesday night, Feb. 26. Facing its third ACC opponent on the season so far, the maroon and gold would fall to the Tar Heels, 13-2.
• UNC scored four runs in the bottom of the second frame, but Elon responded with two runs of its own to cut into the deficit in the top of the third. The Phoenix scored the two runs on sac flies from Allee Seering and Kaitlyn Wells.
• The Tar Heels added three more runs in its home half of the third to take a 7-2 advantage. North Carolina plated six more runs in the game as Elon fell to the Tar Heels for the third straight game.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• As a team, Elon is slashing .258/.417/.330 while scoring 55 runs with 12 home runs and 49 RBI. Going into the weekend, the Phoenix ranks 55^th in the nation in home runs per game (0.92) and 57^th in total homers.
• Seering has a team-best .409 batting average with the Waxhaw, N.C., native having posted six multi-hit games this season. The junior is tied for the team-lead with three home runs while driving in 11 RBI.
• Kaitlyn Wells (.333), Chloe Hatzopoulos (.316) and Greta Hessenthaler are the other players in Elon's regular lineup that are hitting better than .300. Wells has three home runs and is tied with Gabi Schaal for the Phoenix-lead in doubles with four. Hatzopoulos is tied with Seering for the team-lead in RBI with 11 and is tied with Seering and Wells for the team-lead with three homers.
• Hessenthaler enters the weekend having reached base in all 13 games for the Phoenix this season.
• Elon's pitching staff has posted a 4.23 cumulative ERA this season in 86.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 50 strikeouts compared to 47 walks.
• McKenna McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 22.2 while posting a 2.47 ERA with a 1-2 record. Isley Duggins is second on the team with 19.1 innings tossed with a 2.53 ERA. McCard and Lia Miller are tied for the team-lead with 11 strikeouts with Miller having a 2-0 record and a 2.55 ERA in 11.0 innings this season.
 
PRESEASON PRAISE
• Elon had four members of its program recognized on the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Softball Team as announced by the league office on Jan. 31. Fifth-year Gabi Schaal, senior McKenna McCard and junior Mauri Murray were selected to the Preseason All-CAA Team in their respective positions. Senior Allee Seering was an honorable mention nod.
• Schaal was a Second Team All-CAA choice last season as the Lakeland, Fla, native led the CAA in home runs with 11 and finished third in the league with 38 RBI. She finished in the top 10 of the CAA in slugging percentage (.556).
• Murray was selected to the All-CAA First Team after leading the team in batting average (.361) and slugging percentage (.583). The Marvin, N.C., native notched 52 hits in 144 at-bats while scoring 32 runs with eight homers and 33 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in several categories. She also earned NFCA Mid-Atlantic Third Team All-Region honors.
• McCard served as the Phoenix's ace in the circle, leading the Phoenix in appearances (30), starts (21), complete games (11) and innings pitched (122.0). The Ashburn, Ga., native posted a 2.52 ERA while also striking out a team-high 85 batters while posting four shutouts on the season.
• Seering was named to the All-CAA Second Team during her junior campaign last season. The Waxhaw, N.C., native led the Phoenix with 40 RBI and 15 stolen bases and was second on the squad in doubles (12) and hits (49).
 
RETURNING PHOENIX
• Outside of the four preseason All-CAA honorees, the Phoenix returns several key players in 2025, including starters Greta Hessenthaler (second base), Kaitlyn Wells (outfield) and Reagan Hartley (outfield). Hessenthaler was a CAA All-Rookie team choice last season while Wells was third on the team with six home runs. Hartley finished third on the program with 11 stolen bases.
• In the circle, Elon returns 100 percent of its pitching staff last season. Along with McCard, the Phoenix welcomes back the arms of Taylor Cherry, Meredith Wells, Isley Duggins, Michael Hobson, Kyra Leonard, Anna Dew and Lia Miller.
 
CALL HER COACH CAR
• Elon added a familiar face to its coaching staff this summer as Carley Davis begins her first season as an assistant coach on head coach Kathy Bocock's staff in 2025.
• Davis concluded her career with the Phoenix last spring, spending most of her time as a starter behind the plate. She appeared in 197 career games with 194 starts for the maroon and gold and was a two-time All-CAA Second Team selection. A native of Bridgewater, Va., Davis finished her career as Elon's all-time Division I leader in runners caught stealing with 37. This past season, Davis hit a career-best .312 with four homers and 24 RBI.
• Along with Davis, Bocock also made another staff change with the elevation of Sophia Devesa to a full-time assistant and recruiting coordinator after Devesa spent her first season as a volunteer for the Phoenix in 2024. Devesa was part of a staff that helped mentor the Phoenix batters to hit .270 last season, Elon's highest batting average since 2018. The Phoenix's offense was also second in the CAA in runs scored with 252 while its 34 home runs were a league best.
 
2024 RECAP
• Elon finished last season with a 23-29 ledger and a 17-10 mark during CAA play. The 17 league wins mark the most for the program since joining the league as the Phoenix reached the CAA Softball Championships for the fifth straight season (excluding the canceled 2020 COVID-19 season).
• Among the notable accomplishments for the Phoenix last season included Elon head coach Kathy Bocock earning her 300^th career win with the program. Bocock, who is the Phoenix's all-time career wins leader, earned the milestone versus North Dakota State at the Marucci Classic.
• The Phoenix had five players received All-CAA recognition last season. Sophomore Mauri Murray received All-CAA First Team laurels while fifth-year Carley Davis, redshirt junior Gabi Schaal and junior Allee Seering were placed on the league's Second Team. Freshman Greta Hessenthaler rounded out the All-CAA Phoenix honorees with her spot in the All-Rookie Team.
• Schaal also received some hardware for her work both on and off the field as she was named the softball recipient of the 2023-24 Coastal Athletic Association's Leadership and Sport Excellence Award.
• Megan Grant became the program's all-time career leader in walks at the Division I level. The Vinton, Va., native retired after last season with 125 career free passes to her name.
 
ON DECK
• The Phoenix travels to another ACC foe next Tuesday, March 4, heading to Duke. Opening pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.