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Mississippi College softball head coach Brooke O’Hair is pleased to announce the 2017 scheduled, headlined by three opponents that finished 2016 ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25.
The season opens in just 30 days for the reigning National Christian College Athletics Association (NCCAA) national champions, as the Lady Choctaws head to Gulf Shores, Ala. for the Division II Gulf Coast Invitational Tournament.
“That first weekend will tell us a lot about where we are as a team,” said O’Hair. “There will be several Top 25 teams at the tournament, and we are excited to see how we measure up.”
MC gets things started on Saturday, February 4th when they face Miles and Auburn Montgomery. Sunday’s games see the Lady Choctaws face Embry-Riddle and North Georgia, who finished 2016 ranked 9th in the country.
The next weekend (Feb. 10-12) has MC going to Montgomery, Ala. to compete in the Falcon Frenzy Tournament, hosted by incoming GSC school, Montevallo. The Lady Choctaws will face Miles, Montevallo, Stillman, Indianapolis, Ursuline and Truman State over the three days.
The Lady Choctaws will then have an eight-game road trip that opens with a non-conference doubleheader against Spring Hill (February 15th) before opening GSC play against West Florida (Feb. 18-19) and West Alabama (Feb. 25-26).
“The Gulf South Conference is the top softball league in the country,” said O’Hair. “Every weekend will be a test. We play the defending national champs (North Alabama), as well as, facing six teams that were ranked in the Top 25 at some point last season. It’s going to be a challenge for sure.”
The first home contests of the season come 18 games in as the Lady Choctaws host Shorter (March 4-5). MC gets back on the road for a three-game series with Union (March 11-12) before coming home for a doubleheader against Division I Alcorn State (March 15).
The next five games are on the road as the Lady Choctaws travel to Memphis for a three-game set with Christian Brothers (March 18-19) before going to Hattiesburg for a doubleheader with William Carey (March 22).
MC’s next nine games are in conference as they host West Georgia (March 25-26), travel to Valdosta State (April 1-2) and host defending Division II national champions North Alabama (April 8-9).
The Lady Choctaws close out their non-conference schedule with a home doubleheader against Spring Hill (April 12) before hosting Alabama Huntsville (April 15-16).
The season closes out with GSC series against rivals as MC travels to Lee for a three-game set (April 22-23) before hosting Delta State (April 29-30).
The Gulf South Conference Tournament, for which MC is eligible for the first time since 1995, opens May 4th.
