CONWAY, S.C. — The Coastal Carolina softball team opens its 45th season Feb. 6–8, hosting No. 8 Arkansas, Virginia, and Akron for the Kickin' Chicken Classic at St. John Stadium.

• The Chants will look to follow in last year's footsteps after winning their first-ever Sun Belt Conference Tournament title.
• Coastal was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, while Georgia Hood was selected to the preseason all-conference team.
• CCU defeated Southern Miss (7-2), Marshall (5-2), Louisiana (6-1), and JMU (3-2) en route to its seventh conference tournament title. Previous titles came in the Big South in 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, and 2012.
• The Chants had four players — two of whom return — earn NFCA All-Region honors: Georgia Hood (first team), Delaney Keith (second team), Keirstin Roose (second team), and Nicolette Picone (second team).
• Hood went on to garner NFCA All-America third-team honors, becoming just the second Chant in program history to earn the accolade.
• Coastal posted a 42-19 overall record and a 13-11 Sun Belt record in 2025.
• The Chanticleers finished the regular season seventh in the league and earned series wins over Texas State, Louisiana, Georgia State, and Marshall.
• The 2026 schedule features 55 games, with 30 home contests at St. John Stadium.
• Five Chants — Libby Pippin, Keirsten Roose, Nicolette Picone, Brie Normandin, and Clara Hudgens — were named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team after achieving a 3.50 cumulative GPA and competing in at least 90 percent of the team's games or starting at least 66 percent.
• Coastal has a tall order to follow in replacing stellar starting pitcher Nicolette Picone, who earned numerous honors, including Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player, All-Sun Belt Team, NFCA All-Region, the Elite Award, CSC Academic All-America, and CSC Academic All-District recognition.
• Coastal had six Sun Belt Player/Pitcher of the Week honorees in 2025, with Picone earning four honors while Hood and Maddy Jennings each added one.
• The Chants return 13 players from the 2025 roster and add 11 newcomers.
• The 2025–26 roster is made up of two graduate students, one fifth-year senior, five seniors, eight juniors, two sophomores, and six freshmen.
• Coastal features a diverse roster with players representing 16 different states: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), California (2), Colorado (1), Georgia (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (2), Indiana (3), Kentucky (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), North Carolina (2), Ohio (2), South Carolina (2), Texas (1), and Virginia (1).
• Head coach Kelley Green enters her 17th season at the helm of the CCU softball team and owns a 512-360 record at Coastal. She also enters her 27th career season with an overall record of 858-494.
• The Chanticleer coaching staff includes three former players: senior associate head coach Kiana Quolas (2011–15), associate head coach Amanda Daneker (2014–17), and assistant coach Kassidy Smith (2017–20).
• During the 2025 season, Coastal broke program records for most home runs (93), RBIs (334), and runs scored (352) in a season (records dating back to 1998).
• As a team, Coastal ranked in the top 40 nationally in home runs (10th), slugging percentage (25th), RBIs (30th), runs (35th), and double plays (37th) during the 2025 season.
• Three returners also made their mark in the end-of-year individual statistical rankings:

• Brie Normandin finished 12^th in assists (135).
• Delaney Keith placed 18^th in assists (132), 23^rd in home runs (20), and 24^th in total bases (140).
• Georgia Hood ranked 14^th in home runs (21), 17^th in on-base percentage (0.547), 19^th in slugging percentage (0.872), and 20^th in total bases (143).

 Fans can purchase tickets in advance using the links below: 
Tournament Passes

• Kickin' Chicken Classic – $40
  Ticket Link

• Beach Chicken Brawl – $40
  Ticket Link 

Single-Game & Single-Day Options

• Single-day tournament passes – $15
• Single-game tickets – $8
  Ticket Link 

 For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (X), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and Facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at GoCCUSports.com.