11/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2017 Coastal Softball Schedule
CONWAY - The Coastal Carolina softball program will make its move to the Sun Belt Conference in spring 2017 hosting five conference home series and face four 2016 NCAA Regional teams as part of the 2017 season schedule which was announced Wednesday by head coach Kelley Green. The Chanticleers host 41 home games including four tournaments.
Of the 29 teams on the schedule, four played in an NCAA Regional last year, including one that advanced to a Super Regional and one that advanced to the Women's College World Series. The Chants host Alabama, who advanced to the WCWS in the 2016 season. The 2016 Regional teams include Sun Belt opponent Texas State and in-state rival South Carolina while the NCAA Super Regional team on the schedule includes another Sun Belt opponent, Louisiana Lafayette.
The Chanticleers open the 2017 season at home on February 10th hosting its annual Kickin' Chicken Classic (Feb. 10-12) tournament. The field includes Alabama, Towson and Youngstown State.
The second weekend, Coastal hosts UNC Greensboro, Rider University and UMKC as part of the Battle at the Beach (Feb. 17-19).
From Feb. 24-26, the Chanticleers host Cleveland Sate, Campbell, Morehead State and Penn State in the annual Chanticleer Showdown. Coastal's final weekend of tournaments will be Mar. 3-5 when North Dakota, Northern Kentucky and Connecticut assemble for the Coastal Carolina Invitational.
Starting March 7, Coastal will play three straight home games which includes ACC member Virginia Tech, Northern Kentucky (Mar. 8) and Robert Morris (Mar. 9).
Other nonconference contests include matchups hosting NCAA Regional team South Carolina on April 11, UMass Lowell on Mar. 15 and Winthrop on March 28. Coastal travels to Charleston Southern (Mar. 22) and College of Charleston (April 18).
The Chanticleers will open Sun Belt Conference play versus Texas State (Mar. 11-12). Coastal will host four other conference series at home -- Troy (Mar. 25-26), UL Monroe (April 1-2), Georgia State (April 14-15) and Appalachian State (May 5-6).
For its first road trip of the season, Coastal will travel to South Alabama (Mar. 18-19). Other conference road series include Georgia Southern (April 8-9), Texas Arlington (April 22-23) and Louisiana Lafayette (April 29-30).
Coastal holds a 21-16 overall record versus Sun Belt opponents facing off against four of the nine schools in program history -- Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and South Alabama. Six of those Sun Belt opponents finished the 2016 season among the NCAA Top 100 RPI.
The Sun Belt Championships will be held in Troy, Ala. May 10-13.
