GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team, which is on a seven-game win streak, continues its non-conference slate this weekend by hosting four teams for the UNCG Invitational from Friday to Sunday.

The Spartans are scheduled to host Iona (Friday – 2:30 p.m.), Tennessee Tech (Saturday – 12:30 p.m.), Towson (Sunday – 12:30 p.m.) and George Washington (Sunday – 3:00 p.m.).

Click here for information on the 2025 UNCG Invitational Central
 

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG went 5-0 to begin its home slate with the Spiro Classic.
• The Spartans defeated Merrimack to start the weekend, earning a 3-0 victory, their first shutout of the season and first since March 23, 2024.
• Four Spartans had a .500 or better hitting clip last weekend, led by Laney Deane who batted .667 and Kaylyn Belfield followed with a .583 average.
• In the circle, Salem Ward tossed 24.1 innings, earning a 1.73 ERA with 29 strikeouts and allowed just six earned runs. She earned the win in the complete game shutout over the Warriors.
• Grace Loftin and Meredith Harwood led the Spartans with two home runs each last weekend as UNCG totaled seven.
• Head Coach Janelle Breneman earned her 400^th win on Sunday after claiming a 7-2 win over Saint Francis (Pa.).

RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS

• Loftin is leading the Spartans with 18 hits and a .486 batting average.
• She is 12^th nationally in hits, 20^th in total bases and 27^th with 13 runs scored.
• Jessie Shipley is pacing the team with five homers and 36 total bases, which are 11^th and 12^th nationally, respectively.
• Harwood stands out with 16 RBI in the 10-game stretch, which is 19^th in the nation, and she is 25^th nationally with 1.00 walks per game
• Ward leads the pitching staff with 36 strikeouts, a 1.93 ERA and a 5-0 record. 
• Ward is fifth nationally in wins and 13th in strikeouts.
• Ward earned SoCon Pitcher of the Week after going 4-0 in the Spiro Invitational. 
• UNCG was chosen to finish second in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Spartans received one first-place vote.  
• UNCG is ranked in the top 25 nationally in home runs (2^nd/22), home runs per game (2^nd/2.20), RBI per game (3^rd/9.10), RBI (4^th/91), scoring (5^th/9.60), total runs (6^th/96), walks (6^th/54), slugging percentage (7^th/.702), hits (7^th/110), triples (10^th/5), on-base percentage (11^th/.473), batting average (13^th/.377), triples per game (15^th/0.50), doubles (17^th/19) and doubles per game (24^th/1.90).
• The Spartans concluded the 2024 season 33-26 overall and 13-8 in the SoCon.
• It was the fifth-straight season with 30 or more wins.
• It was also the ninth year with 30 or more wins under the direction of Head Coach Janelle Breneman, who is in her 13^th year with the Blue & Gold.
• The Spartans saw another successful statistical year, leading the SoCon in home runs per game (1.37), home runs (81), slugging percentage (0.490), triples per game (0.22) and walks (240).
• UNCG was also ranked nationally in the top 30 in four categories: sixth in walks, 11^th in home runs, 14^th in home runs per game and 30^th in slugging percentage.
• Loftin was named to the SoCon Preseason First Team, while Betsy Eatmon and Jorde Chartrand were voted to the Preseason Second Team.
• The Spartans reached the SoCon Championship game for the sixth-straight year in 2024, excluding the COVID 2020 shortened season, falling to Chattanooga in the double elimination game.
• UNCG added four freshmen and two transfers.
• The Spartans have four of their pitchers returning this season, including Chartrand.

RUNDOWN ON IONA

• Iona went 18-29 overall last season and 14-10 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
• The Gaels were picked to finish sixth in the 2025 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and are currently 0-4 after playing Robert Morris, Gardner-Webb and Sacred Heart out in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, last weekend.
• Carla Campagna is in her first year as the head coach of the Gaels after spending the last six years at Adelphi.
• Iona returns 10 letterwinners from last year's team that reached the MAAC tournament as the fifth seed.
• The Gaels welcomed eight newcomers to the squad this year. Brooke Acker is pacing the team with a .400 batting average and has one home run.
• Six from Iona have two or more RBI, with Madison Campeau leading the way with three.
• In the circle, Samantha Rieb has 10 strikeouts in three appearances this season.
• Allison Hoppe has tossed a team-best 10.0 innings and has kept batters to a .349 batting average.

RUNDOWN ON TENNESSEE TECH

• Last season, the Golden Eagles went 23-24 overall and 12-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
• Tennessee Tech was voted to finish fifth in the 2025 OVC Preseason Poll.
• Sydney Kirby was named a 2025 OVC Preseason Player to Watch.
• Kirby paced the Golden Eagles last season with a .296 batting average, 13 doubles, three home runs and 36 RBI.
• The Golden Eagles were named a top turnaround team by D1Softball.com after going 6-44 in 2023.
• Tennessee Tech is 4-5 overall this season and have tallied two shutouts, including a 2-0 win over Evansville and a 9-0 defeat over Army.
• Addison Abell was named OVC Pitcher of the Week after a 1-0 start with 10 strikeouts and a 0.64 ERA.
• Lainey Fitzgerald is leading the team with a .545 batting average and a .727 slugging percentage.
• Kirby currently has a team-best five RBI.
• Six Golden Eagles have seen time in the circle this season with Emily York leading the way with a 2-2 record.
• Payton Wagner and York have thrown 19.0 and 19.1 innings, respectively.

RUNDOWN ON TOWSON

• Towson was voted to finish seventh in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).
• The Tigers went 22-32 overall last season and 10-17 in the CAA.
• Towson is currently 2-6 overall, earning a 13-3 five inning win and a 5-2 victory, both over Youngstown State.
• The Tigers fell to SoCon foe, Wofford twice at the Terrier Invite with scores of 4-3 and 9-1.
• Four Tigers have a .400 or better batting average, with Madyson Peters leading the team with a .474 hitting clip.
• Kristin Toland has tallied a team high 10 RBI and three home runs.
• In the circle, Olivia Trombley has thrown 19.0 innings for the Tigers.
• Amanda Medina and Kayla Pilson each have a win in the circle, while all four pitchers have appeared in four games each.

RUNDOWN ON GEORGE WASHINGTON

• George Washington was voted to finish seventh in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
• Last season, the Revolutionaries went 27-26 overall and 12-14 in A-10 play.
• The Buff & Blue are currently 5-1 overall, losing their only game to Northern Kentucky, 5-2.
• George Washington has two shutouts on the season with an 8-0 win over Coppin State and a 3-0 victory over Northern Kentucky.
• Ashley Corpuz and Anna Reed were named A-10 Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively on Feb. 10.
• Reed has tossed 18.0 innings and has a 3-0 record with 19 strikeouts.
• Cece Smith has thrown 15.2 innings and has a 2-0 record in the circle with 11 strikeouts.
• Reed has a 0.78 ERA, while Smith has a 0.89 ERA.
• Corpuz is pacing the team with a .500 batting average with nine RBI and is 5-for-6 in stolen bases.
• Allison Heffley is second on the team with a .444 hitting clip, while Kaylee Layfield has a team-best nine hits.

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UP NEXT 
The Spartans are scheduled to play three games away from UNCG Softball Stadium next week, starting with a single contest versus North Carolina A&T at 3:00 p.m. at Lady Aggies Softball Complex.