Softball Southern Conference

Elon's Raduenz Announces 2010 Softball Slate

ELON, N.C. - Elon softball head coach Patti Raduenz has announced the 2010 Phoenix softball schedule that includes 18 home dates and 21 Southern Conference games. Highlighting the slate are home games against Virginia, North Carolina and East Carolina and two home tournaments. The Phoenix will take on four teams that made an appearance in the 2009 NCAA tournament, including North Carolina, Georgia, Campbell and Chattanooga.
 
"We are all fired up about the 2010 schedule," Raduenz said. "We think it is a good mix of teams that were in the top-25 last year, including College World Series participant Georgia. We also get the chance to play a very competitive non-conference schedule in addition to the SoCon slate."
 
The 2010 season kicks off February 13-14 when Elon hosts the Phoenix Leadoff Classic that features teams from Virginia and UNC Wilmington. Elon hosts its second tournament of the season the following weekend, as it welcomes Rider and Georgetown to East Field for the Elon Invitational.
 
The Phoenix hosts IUPUI on February 27-28 before traveling to Athens, Ga., for its second-straight appearance in the Bulldog Invitational, March 5-7. During the three-day tournament, Elon will face Middle Tennessee State, Minnesota, Georgia and Belmont.
 
Elon returns home for a mid-week doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky before opening the SoCon schedule at Western Carolina March 13-14.
 
North Carolina makes an appearance at East Field on March 17, followed by a conference series against Appalachian State on March 20-21.
 
Elon will spend its spring break at the beach as it travels to Conway, S.C., to take on the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina on March 23. Elon hosts the College of Charleston March 27-28 as it returns to conference play.
 
The Phoenix will play its next five games in Greensboro, N.C., beginning on March 31 when it faces the North Carolina A&T Aggies. UNC Greensboro will play host to Elon on April 2-3.
 
Longwood comes to town on April 8 for a doubleheader before Elon gears up to host Furman April 10-11. The Phoenix will take on defending conference champions in five straight games, beginning April 14 when the Phoenix make the short drive to Buies Creek, N.C., for a two-game set against the defending Atlantic-10 champion Campbell. The road trip continues April 17-18 as Elon travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., to take on Chattanooga, the defending Southern Conference champion.
 
The Phoenix will host the Charlotte 49ers on April 22 before closing out the home schedule with a three-game series against Samford April 24-25.
 
On May 1-2, Elon travels to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern in the final conference series of the regular season. Elon will have four final games to prepare for the Southern Conference Championship as it travels to when it goes on the road to face East Carolina and Winthrop.
 
The top four teams in the league standings at the conclusion of the regular season will have the opportunity to play in the Southern Conference Championship May 12-15. The top-seeded team will host the tournament.
 
Raduenz added, "We have a young and talented group that is full of energy and passion. They came back from winter break eager to get this year rolling and keep improving on what we did in the fall."