BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball head coach Amy Herrington announced the 2010 schedule, featuring three tournaments and 10 home contests, on Friday.
Appalachian opens the season Feb. 19-21 at the University of Memphis tournament that features the host Tigers, Southeast Missouri State and Indiana State. The following weekend the Mountaineers head to Greensboro to take on North Carolina A&T, Hampton and a team to be determined. ASU finishes up the early season tournaments in Florida against Stetson, Bethune-Cookman and a team to be determined.
ASU opens up its mid-week schedule with away contests at USC Upstate and Charlotte. The Mountaineers begin SoCon play with a three-game set at Samford.
The Apps host Presbyterian in the home opener on March 16 before traveling to Elon for their second SoCon series.
The Mountaineers are at home for six of the next seven contests, beginning with a mid-week doubleheader against Gardner-Webb, the SoCon home opener against Georgia Southern and a Wednesday twin bill versus East Tennessee State.
Appalachian goes on the road to face SoCon rival Furman before returning home for three-straight, starting with a single game versus Virginia Tech, a SoCon three-game set against UNC Greensboro and a doubleheader with North Carolina A&T.
The Black and Gold go on the road for their final away SoCon series of the season at College of Charleston and follow that with a single game against 2009 NCAA regional participant North Carolina.
The Mountaineers finish out the regular season with three-straight home games, starting with defending SoCon regular season and tournament champion Chattanooga and a doubleheader against South Carolina State before ending the season against Western Carolina.
The Southern Conference Tournament will be hosted by the regular-season champion May 13-14. This year's tournament will feature the top-4 teams in the standings.
Herrington and the Mountaineers are coming off a 2009 campaign that saw a 15 game improvement in the overall win column and the most SoCon wins in school history (14). ASU returns six starters, including all-region honoree Katie Boyd (Walkertown, N.C./North Forsyth), all-conference performers in Boyd and Michelle Lighton (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) and all-freshmen honoree, Megan Rembielak (Advance, N.C./Bishop McGuinness).