HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball takes to the field for the first time in 2019 at the Elon February Classic, Feb. 15-17. On Friday, Feb. 15, the Norse will open up the season against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia at 10 a.m. before facing host Elon at 2:30 p.m. Saturday's games pits NKU against Hampton at 10 a.m. and North Carolina Central at 4:45 p.m. The Norse then meet up once again with Virginia at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.

2018 IN REVIEW: NKU had its most successful season in the Division I era with the first winning record since the transition at 24-22. The Norse also made history with the first Division I postseason appearance after earning a spot in the Horizon League, claiming the No. 4 seed after going 11-11 in league play. Sydney Ferrante and Ava Lawson were named to the All-Horizon League First Team, while Taylor Brummell pulled in second-team honors. Ferrante also became NKU's first Division I player to earn NFCA All-Region accolades.
 
2019 NORSE: The team lost six student-athletes to graduation, with the biggest losses coming in the infield. Sophomore Madi Mulder is expected to take over for Ferrante at third base after playing her rookie season primarily behind the plate, while the catcher position has multiple options including rookie Kit Rocco and junior transfer Taylor Hoover. Toree Stalter is expected to fill Brummell's shortstop position, and Hailey Whitmer and Josie Frazier will bring their experience back to first and second base, respectively. NKU returns its outfield from a season ago, with Zahrya McFarland in left field, Ava Lawson in center, and a competitive group providing options for right field, including Alexis McDaniel, Isabell Alexander and Kailey Rossiter. In the circle, Taylor Ginther returns for her junior campaign after going 9-11 as a sophomore. Emily Koperdak is expected to make her collegiate debut, and Whitmer is also able to offer innings of relief. Rounding out the freshman class, Jordan Jenkins brings a powerful bat and versatile defense as a utility player.
 
SCOUTING VIRGINIA: The Cavaliers have started out the season with a 0-5 mark at the FAU First Pitch Classic, dropping decisions to Indiana, Bethune Cookman, Georgia, Florida Atlantic and Saint John's. Last year, the team went 12-41 and 3-21 in ACC competition. Despite not winning a game, Virginia had five players batting over .300 in the opening weekend, led by Arizona Ritchie at .400. Erika Osherow leads the team with four RBI and a .750 slugging percentage, recording three singles, a double, a triple and a home run in the opening weekend. Osherow has also spent the most time in the circle, tossing 16.0 innings for the Cavaliers with 13 strikeouts and a 2.25 earned run average. However, the entire pitching corps holds a 6.68 ERA, with four hurlers posting an ERA of 9.00 or higher. The team was also error-prone in the first weekend, committing 13 miscues between the five contests. This weekend will mark the first time in program history that NKU and Virginia will meet.
 
SCOUTING ELON: The Phoenix hold a 4-1 record and are 4-0 at home after defeating Appalachian State, Eastern Kentucky and Longwood at the Elon Softball Opening Weekend Tournament. Last year, Elon went 24-28 and posted a 7-14 record in Colonial Athletic Association play. This season, Morgan Recid leads four Phoenix batting over .300 with a .417 batting average and a .750 slugging percentage, with five hits and four RBI. Elon has had some powerful performances at the plate with eight doubles and six home runs among the five games played, with the team slugging .512. Elon has also been walked 20 times while being struck out just 16. The Phoenix pitching staff has relied primarily no Kenna Quinn and Abby Barker, who have split time with 15.0 and 14.0 innings pitched, respectively, and both hold an ERA of 2.00 or lower. Both pitchers are 2-0 on the season, with Elise Walton picking up the team's lone loss against Charlotte in a midweek matchup. Like Virginia, NKU has never played Elon in the program's history.
 
SCOUTING HAMPTON: The Pirates were scheduled to open up their season at Delaware, but were forced to cancel the series due to weather. Last year, Hampton went 24-28, but improved to 11-7 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to earn the No. 2 seed in the tournament. Hampton returns All-MEAC First Team honoree DaSha Hill, who finished last season ranked third nationally in stolen bases with 45. She also led the team with a .396 batting average and runs scored, with 42. The team did lose the two batters who drove in the most runners in 2018, with Alana VanDenburg and Cassidy Blackwell combining for 53 RBI last season. Hampton also returns its top two pitchers, both of whom claimed 12 wins a season ago. Allyson Babinsack posted a 2.51 ERA and fanned 81 batters in 172.2 innings pitched, while Allie Hotetz had an ERA of 4.22 while striking out 77 batters in 166 innings pitched. Hampton is also a new team to face for the NKU program.
 
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL: NKU will play another MEAC team in NC Central, which knocked Hampton out of the MEAC tournament as the No. 4 seed in 2018. This year, the Eagles are 1-3, posting a 7-3 victory over Southern in the season opener. NC Central lost both of its All-MEAC First Team honorees, including a record-setting strikeout pitcher in Courtney Mirabella. Kiara Hurley has taken over for Mirabella in most of the team's contests and has struck out 11 batters in 18.0 innings pitched to go with a 5.44 ERA. At the plate, Madison Mifsud and Jessica Powell are both batting .400, with Mifsud driving in three of the Eagles' eight runs this year. Following suit with the rest of the tournament field, NKU has never faced NC Central in program history.
 
PRESEASON POLL: NKU moved up two spots in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, as the Norse are expected to finish fifth in the League with 40 points. A season ago, NKU was tabbed to finish seventh, and exceeded expectations with a fourth-place finish and the first-ever postseason appearance.
 
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: NKU posted a program-record 3.670 team grade point average during the 2018 spring season, which was the second-highest on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Team GPA Top 10. Grand Canyon raked in highest honors with a 3.790 team GPA, and Horizon League member Detroit Mercy also appeared in the top-10 with a 3.571 GPA.