HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball program will begin preparations for a challenging 2020 schedule this week, as the Lady Lions report to campus on Tuesday.
 
Southeastern returns 17 letter winners, including four positional starters and the top five pitchers from last season's squad. The 2019 Lady Lions finished 34-23 overall and were fifth in the league standings with a 17-10 Southland Conference mark.
 
SLU also added eight talented newcomers to bolster the roster. Fifth-year head coach Rick Fremin is excited about the prospects for his team less than a month away from the 2020 season opener.
 
"We enter 2020 with a lot of quality options, both in our lineup and in the circle," Fremin said. "That depth makes this the most complete team we've had since I've been here."
 
The Lady Lions will feature its deepest pitching staff in recent memory. All-Southland and All-Louisiana pitcher Alley McDonald (13-7, 2.34 ERA, 1 save in 2019) returns, along with Sophie Hannabas (7-7, 3.22 ERA, 1 save), Tanner Wright (6-5, 2.81 ERA), Karlee Kraft (5-1, 1.75 ERA) and Shelby Sitzman (1-0, 2.86 ERA). The newcomer trio of Heather Zumo, MC Comeaux and Anna Westberry adds to the Lady Lion staff.
 
Catcher Ella Manzer, who earned All-Region, All-Southland and All-Louisiana honors, returns for her junior season after finishing with a .341 batting average, three home runs, 13 doubles and 31 RBI a season ago. Fellow All-Southland performers Madisen Blackford (.315, 7 HR, 34 RBI) and Lindsey Rizzo (.322, 27 SB) will also be back, as will returning starter Ali McCoy (.287, 10 2B). Fremin also expects returners Madison Watson and Briahna Bennett to play a bigger role in 2020.
 
Several newcomers are expected to buoy the Lady Lion lineup. UL Lafayette transfer Aeriyl Mass and freshman Cameron Goodman are expected to provide speed to the SLU attack. LSU Eunice product Madison Monson adds power, while former junior college teammate Kelci Bodin increases the team's athleticism, along with freshmen Audrey Greely.
 
Southeastern hosts the Lion Classic on Feb. 7-9 to open the 2020 schedule. The first game of the tournament for SLU sees the Lady Lions take Buffalo on Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. Other non-conference opponents visiting North Oak Park include UAB (Feb. 12), Mississippi State (Feb. 18), Appalachian State (March 11), Alcorn State (March 17) and UL Lafayette (April 7).
 
SLU's non-conference road slate sees the Lady Lion playing tournaments at Florida (Feb. 14-16), Youngsville, La. (Feb. 21-23) and Texas A&M (Feb. 28-29). Southeastern also travels to LSU (March 25), ULM (March 31) and Jackson State (April 14).
 
The Lady Lions visits Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 6-7 to open Southland Conference play. Southeastern's other road conference series will be at Stephen F. Austin (March 27-28), Lamar (April 10-11), McNeese (April 24-25) and Central Arkansas (May 1-2).
 
Southeastern open its league home schedule with a three-game series versus Houston Baptist (March 13-14). Conference foes Northwestern State (March 20-21), UIW (April 3-4) and Nicholls (April 17-18) also visit Hammond. Southeastern will also host the Southland Conference Tournament on May 5-8 at North Oak Park.
 
2020 Southeastern Louisiana Softball Schedule
 
Date – Opponent – Location – Time
2/7 – Buffalo@ - Hammond – 4 p.m.
2/7 – Alabama State@ - Hammond – 6 p.m.
2/8 – Buffalo@ - Hammond – 4 p.m.
2/8 – UT Martin@ - Hammond – 6 p.m.
2/9 – Grambling@ - Hammond – 2 p.m.
2/12 – UAB – Hammond – 6 p.m.
2/14 – vs. North Dakota State# - Gainesville, Fla. – 8 a.m.
2/14 – vs. Florida A&M# - Gainesville, Fla. – 10:30 a.m.
2/15 – vs. Longwood# - Gainesville, Fla. – 3:30 p.m.
2/15 – vs. Florida A&M# - Gainesville, Fla. – 6 p.m.
2/16 – at Florida# - Gainesville, Fla. – 10:30 a.m.
2/18 – Mississippi State – Hammond – 6 p.m.
2/21 – vs. Middle Tennessee State$ - Youngsville – 3 p.m.
2/22 – vs. Alcorn State$ - Youngsville – 5 p.m.
2/22 – vs. Mississippi Valley State$ - Youngsville – 7 p.m.
2/23 – vs. ULM$ - Youngsville – 2 p.m.
2/28 – vs. Kansas^ - College Station, Texas – 3 p.m.
2/28 – at Texas A&M^ - College Station, Texas – 5:15 p.m.
2/29 – vs. Kansas^ - College Station, Texas – 11 a.m.
2/29 – at Texas A&M^ - College Station, Texas – 1:15 p.m.
3/6 – at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (DH)* - Corpus Christi, Texas – 1 p.m.
3/7 – at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi* - Corpus Christi, Texas – 12 p.m.
3/11 – Appalachian State – Hammond – 5 p.m.
3/13 – Houston Baptist* - Hammond – 5 p.m.
3/14 – Houston Baptist (DH)* - Hammond – 12 p.m.
3/17 – Alcorn State (DH) – Hammond – 4 p.m.
3/20 – Northwestern State* - Hammond – 5 p.m.
3/21 – Northwestern State (DH)* - Hammond – 12 p.m.
3/25 – at LSU – Baton Rouge – 6 p.m.
3/27 – at Stephen F. Austin (DH)* - Nacogdoches, Texas - 1 p.m.
3/28 – at Stephen F. Austin* - Nacogdoches, Texas - 12 p.m.
3/31 – at ULM – Monroe – 5 p.m.
4/3 – UIW (DH)* - Hammond – 4 p.m.
4/4 – UIW* - Hammond – 12 p.m.
4/7 – UL Lafayette – Hammond – 6 p.m.
4/10 – at Lamar (DH)* - Beaumont, Texas – 4 p.m.
4/11 – at Lamar* - Beaumont, Texas – 12 p.m.
4/14 – at Jackson State (DH) – Jackson, Miss. – 4 p.m.
4/17 – Nicholls* - Hammond – 5 p.m.
4/18 – Nicholls (DH)* - Hammond – 12 p.m.
4/24 – at McNeese* - Lake Charles – 6:30 p.m.
4/25 – at McNeese (DH)* - Lake Charles – 1 p.m.
5/1 – at Central Arkansas (DH)* - Conway, Ark. – 4 p.m.
5/2 – at Central Arkansas* - Conway, Ark. – 1 p.m.
5/5-5/8 – Southland Conference Tournament – Hammond – TBA
 
@ - Lion Classic | # - Bubly Invitational | $ - Mardi Gras Mambo | ^ - Reveille Classic | * - Southland Conference game | SLU home games in bold

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @LionUpSoftball on Twitter and Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
HOME RUN CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the softball program are encouraged to join the Home Run Club. Lady Lion softball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Home Run Club and S Club (softball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern softball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events (softball, baseball, football and basketball), effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.