Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh unveils challenging 2020 softball slate
12/20/2019 11:36:00 AM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With opening day now less than two months away, Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan has announced the Mountain Hawks' 2020 schedule.
The schedule for Troyan's 25th season as Lehigh's head coach features 51 games. It begins with four early season tournaments. The Mountain Hawks will return to Arizona over spring break for the second consecutive year. Lehigh will play 14 games at Leadership Park and throughout the season will play a total of 11 games against five teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
"Overall, I am pleased with how the schedule turned out," Troyan said. "We had talked to our seniors last year as we were putting together the schedule and they were 100 percent fine with putting together a challenging schedule."
The 2020 season will begin with five games spread over three days at the Citrus Blossom tournament in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb. 14-16. Lehigh will battle Georgia Southern and defending MEAC Champion Bethune-Cookman on Valentine's Day and will also face Charleston Southern, Appalachian State and Saint Joseph's in its first competition of the season.
"We are starting out a weekend earlier with the Citrus Blossom in Orlando," Troyan noted. "I suspect that will make our pre-season practices quite focused."
Following a weekend off, Lehigh will head to Raleigh, N.C. for the NC State Invitational Feb. 28-Mar. 1. The Mountain Hawks will battle the host Wolfpack on Feb. 28 and then will play two games against North Carolina A&T and NCAA Tournament participant James Madison.
Lehigh's spring break trip to Arizona will once again feature two tournaments, with the trip beginning with the ASU Invitational in Tempe, Mar. 7-9. The Mountain Hawks will play five games at Arizona State, including two against the Sun Devils, and will also face Big Ten members Nebraska and NCAA Tournament participant Ohio State plus New Mexico State. For the second half of its trip Lehigh will head to Phoenix for the GCU Invitational, Mar. 11-14. The Mountain Hawks will face South Dakota and host Grand Canyon on Mar. 11 After a day off on Mar. 12, Lehigh will close out its trip over the next two days with another game against South Dakota, two more dates with Ohio State and a game against Pacific.
"Last year I am not sure that the team understood how challenging our spring break Arizona schedule was going to be," Troyan said. "They know what to expect this time around. And no matter whether we are playing a 'name' school or not, they know how competitive everyone will be. We are looking forward to becoming better by playing the best."
Upon returning to campus, Lehigh will play a midweek at doubleheader at Penn (Mar. 18) and will then play eight of its next 10 games at Leadership Park. The Mountain Hawks will open their home slate and Patriot League play when Colgate visits Mar. 21-22. After a doubleheader at Saint Joseph's (Mar. 25), Lehigh will host Holy Cross for three games, Mar. 28-29, and then will play a midweek twin bill with Rider on Apr. 1.
Lehigh's first Patriot League road series will be at Army West Point Apr. 4-5, and will be followed by a road doubleheader at La Salle (Apr. 8) and a home doubleheader with Princeton (Apr. 15) as the Mountain Hawks' Patriot League bye weekend is Apr. 11-12.
The Mountain Hawks and Boston University have met in the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament in three consecutive years, with the Terriers claiming the title in each of the last two years. Lehigh and BU will meet for their annual regular season series in Boston Apr. 18-19.
The final four home games of the regular season include a visit from Seton Hall on Tuesday, Apr. 21 and the three-game rivalry series against Lafayette on Apr. 25-26.
The regular season concludes with four road games as the Mountain Hawks will play a single non-league game at Binghamton on Apr. 29 before finishing the regular season with three league games at Bucknell (May 2-3).
The Patriot League Tournament will be held May 7-9 on the home field of the highest seed.
Lehigh finished the 2019 season with a 27-28 record as the Mountain Hawks reached the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament for the third consecutive year. The Mountain Hawks return a pair of 2019 first team All-Patriot League selections in second baseman Mary-Hannah Smith and outfielder Jaelynn Chesson, plus 2018 all-league pitcher Parker Boyd. Lehigh will be looking to win its league-best 15th championship and first since 2017 when the 2020 season commences.
Like Lehigh softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
The schedule for Troyan's 25th season as Lehigh's head coach features 51 games. It begins with four early season tournaments. The Mountain Hawks will return to Arizona over spring break for the second consecutive year. Lehigh will play 14 games at Leadership Park and throughout the season will play a total of 11 games against five teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
"Overall, I am pleased with how the schedule turned out," Troyan said. "We had talked to our seniors last year as we were putting together the schedule and they were 100 percent fine with putting together a challenging schedule."
The 2020 season will begin with five games spread over three days at the Citrus Blossom tournament in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb. 14-16. Lehigh will battle Georgia Southern and defending MEAC Champion Bethune-Cookman on Valentine's Day and will also face Charleston Southern, Appalachian State and Saint Joseph's in its first competition of the season.
"We are starting out a weekend earlier with the Citrus Blossom in Orlando," Troyan noted. "I suspect that will make our pre-season practices quite focused."
Following a weekend off, Lehigh will head to Raleigh, N.C. for the NC State Invitational Feb. 28-Mar. 1. The Mountain Hawks will battle the host Wolfpack on Feb. 28 and then will play two games against North Carolina A&T and NCAA Tournament participant James Madison.
Lehigh's spring break trip to Arizona will once again feature two tournaments, with the trip beginning with the ASU Invitational in Tempe, Mar. 7-9. The Mountain Hawks will play five games at Arizona State, including two against the Sun Devils, and will also face Big Ten members Nebraska and NCAA Tournament participant Ohio State plus New Mexico State. For the second half of its trip Lehigh will head to Phoenix for the GCU Invitational, Mar. 11-14. The Mountain Hawks will face South Dakota and host Grand Canyon on Mar. 11 After a day off on Mar. 12, Lehigh will close out its trip over the next two days with another game against South Dakota, two more dates with Ohio State and a game against Pacific.
"Last year I am not sure that the team understood how challenging our spring break Arizona schedule was going to be," Troyan said. "They know what to expect this time around. And no matter whether we are playing a 'name' school or not, they know how competitive everyone will be. We are looking forward to becoming better by playing the best."
Upon returning to campus, Lehigh will play a midweek at doubleheader at Penn (Mar. 18) and will then play eight of its next 10 games at Leadership Park. The Mountain Hawks will open their home slate and Patriot League play when Colgate visits Mar. 21-22. After a doubleheader at Saint Joseph's (Mar. 25), Lehigh will host Holy Cross for three games, Mar. 28-29, and then will play a midweek twin bill with Rider on Apr. 1.
Lehigh's first Patriot League road series will be at Army West Point Apr. 4-5, and will be followed by a road doubleheader at La Salle (Apr. 8) and a home doubleheader with Princeton (Apr. 15) as the Mountain Hawks' Patriot League bye weekend is Apr. 11-12.
The Mountain Hawks and Boston University have met in the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament in three consecutive years, with the Terriers claiming the title in each of the last two years. Lehigh and BU will meet for their annual regular season series in Boston Apr. 18-19.
The final four home games of the regular season include a visit from Seton Hall on Tuesday, Apr. 21 and the three-game rivalry series against Lafayette on Apr. 25-26.
The regular season concludes with four road games as the Mountain Hawks will play a single non-league game at Binghamton on Apr. 29 before finishing the regular season with three league games at Bucknell (May 2-3).
The Patriot League Tournament will be held May 7-9 on the home field of the highest seed.
Lehigh finished the 2019 season with a 27-28 record as the Mountain Hawks reached the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament for the third consecutive year. The Mountain Hawks return a pair of 2019 first team All-Patriot League selections in second baseman Mary-Hannah Smith and outfielder Jaelynn Chesson, plus 2018 all-league pitcher Parker Boyd. Lehigh will be looking to win its league-best 15th championship and first since 2017 when the 2020 season commences.
Like Lehigh softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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