GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team begins the 2025 season in Elon, North Carolina, in the Elon Softball Classic, hosted by Elon, from Thursday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 9 at Hunt Softball Park.

The Spartans will face five different opponents this weekend during the tournament, including North Carolina Central, Ohio State, Ohio, UConn and Elon.
 

 
RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS

• UNCG was chosen to finish second in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Spartans received one first-place vote.  
• 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.
• Senior Grace 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.
• Loftin returns for her senior year with the Spartans after swinging a career-best .323 at the plate, finishing second last season to 2024 SoCon Player of the Year, Brooklynn Maxwell.
• Loftin led the team with a career-high 40 walks and was second on the team with a career-best 13 home runs, 40 runs scored and 35 RBI.
• Eatmon was third with eight homers and fifth with 25 RBI.
• Jessie Shipley is also returning for the Spartans after finishing fourth with a career-best .301 batting average and leading the team with a career-high 15 doubles.
• The Spartans have four of their pitchers returning this season, including Chartrand.

RUNDOWN ON NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL

• NCCU was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Poll.
• First-year Head Coach Now-Allah James returns 12 players from last year's squad.
• NCCU concluded the 2024 season 20-36 overall with a 14-7 MEAC record.
• The Eagles reached the MEAC Tournament semifinals last year after winning the championship in 2023.
• Senior pitcher Jaden Davis, junior first baseman Takia Nichols, junior shortstop Makiya Graves and sophomore outfielder Tyler Suttles were all named to the 2025 Preseason All-MEAC team.
• Davis led the MEAC in strikeouts with 116 in 2024, while ranking second with 188.1 innings pitched and third with 12 wins.
• Suttles ranked among MEAC's top 10 players in five major hitting categories including third in batting average (.435) and hits (27).

RUNDOWN ON OHIO STATE

• In the 2025 Big Ten Preseason Poll, Ohio State finished tied for sixth.
• The Buckeyes concluded the 2024 slate with a 31-20 overall mark and 12-11 in conference play.
• Lexi Paulsen, Kaitlyn Farley and Kami Kortokrax were among 31 players conference-wide to be named to the 2025 Big Ten Players to Watch List.
• Paulsen is the Buckeyes' leading returner from last season in innings pitched (45.0).
• Farley enters her senior season as a veteran of 148 career games played with the Buckeyes.
• She hit .300 with 10 extra base hits, 30 runs scored, 22 RBI and a .406 on-base percentage in 2024 and also had the second-most walks on the team (23).
• Kortokrax is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and twice has made the NFCA All-Midwest Region Team.
• Last season, she led the team in home runs (12), RBI (41) and batting average in Big Ten games (.389).

RUNDOWN ON OHIO

• Ohio was voted to finish first in the 2025 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll and received eight first-place votes.
• The Bobcats concluded the 2024 slate 31-24 overall and 18-8 in conference play.
• Ohio returns All-MAC performers Skipp Miller, Mikie Lieving and Izzie Wilson, while welcoming nine new faces to the roster.
• Miller and Lieving paced the pitching staff with 2.69 and 2.76 ERA, respectively.
• Miller went 17-15 in the circle with 23 complete games and four saves, while Lieving went 11-6 with eight complete games.
• Miller struck out 119 batters and Lieving retired 71.
• Senior catcher Emma Hoffner returns after being named to the 2024 All-Mideast Region Third Team.
• Hoffner started and played in all 55 games for the Bobcats behind the plate during 2024. She led the team with a .325 batting average, 52 hits, 12 doubles, one triple and five home runs.
• Behind the plate she recorded a .982 fielding percentage with 271 catches, 237 putouts, 29 assists and five errors, while throwing out 11 runners.

RUNDOWN ON UCONN

• UConn is predicted to finish second in the BIG EAST this season after totaling 57 points and two first-place votes in the 2025 Preseason Poll.
• UConn concluded the 2024 slate with a 31-24 overall record and a 16-8 mark in conference play.
• The Huskies are returning BIG EAST Player of the Year Lexi Hastings after leading the league last season in batting average (.500), hits (37), on-base percentage (.537), triples (2) and stolen bases (16).
• UConn also returns four All-Conference selections from last season, including Rosie Garcia (First Team), Grace Jenkins (Second Team), Hope Jenkins (Second Team) and Payton Kinney (Second Team).
• Grace (.344) and Hope (.303) followed Hastings in second and third, respectively, in batting average on the team.
• Garcia rounded out the Huskies .300 or above hitters with a .302 batting average last season, while pacing the team with 10 home runs.
• Grace led UConn with 40 RBI and 16 doubles.
• Kinney returns in the circle after her 2.33 ERA last season and 12-5 record with one complete game, one save and 113 strikeouts.

RUNDOWN ON ELON

• Elon was voted to finish sixth out of 12 teams in the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Preseason Poll.
• The Phoenix concluded the 2024 slate with a 23-29 overall mark and a 17-10 CAA mark.
• Fifth-year Gabi Schaal, senior McKenna McCard and junior Mauri Murray were selected to the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Team. Senior Allee Seering was an honorable mention nod.
• Schaal was an All-CAA Second Team choice last season after leading the conference in home runs with 11 and finishing third in the league with 38 RBI.
• Murray was selected to the All-CAA First Team after leading the team in batting average (.361) and slugging percentage (.583).
• McCard served as the Phoenix's ace in the circle last season, leading the team in appearances (30), starts (21), complete games (11) and innings pitched (122.0), while posting a 2.52 ERA and striking out 85 batters.
• Seering was named to the All-CAA Second Team after leading the Phoenix with 40 RBI and 15 stolen bases. She was second on the squad with 12 doubles and 49 hits.

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UP NEXT 
The Spartans will begin their home slate with the Spiro Classic from Friday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 16 in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the UNCG Softball Stadium. UNCG will host Merrimack at 12:30 p.m. and Georgetown at 5:30 p.m. on Friday to kick off its home schedule.

On Saturday, the Spartans will battle Toledo at 12:30 p.m. and Georgetown at 3:00 p.m., before concluding the tournament with their second game against Toledo on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Click here for information about the Spiro Classic.