University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Friday, February 11
Hattiesburg, Miss.
4:30 pm
Southern Miss
vs
North Alabama
Southern Miss Set to Open 2022 Season With Black & Gold Invitational
2/10/2022 3:00:00 PM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team takes the field for the first time this season for a five-game tournament at home. The Golden Eagles host the North Alabama Lions, Saint Louis Billikens and Samford Bulldogs for the Black & Gold Invitational at the Southern Miss Softball Complex between Feb. 11-13.
The Golden Eagles open their tournament with a pair of games on Friday, Feb. 11 against North Alabama (4:30 p.m.) and Saint Louis (7 p.m.) before taking on Samford (1 p.m.) and North Alabama (1 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 12. Southern Miss wraps up its weekend with one final contest against Samford on Feb. 13.
Southern Miss opens their season with the annual Black & Gold Invitational for the fourth-consecutive season. Southern Miss holds a 10-2 record throughout the previous three events dating back to 2019.
The Black & Gold take on two familiar foes in Saint Louis and Samford, and battle North Alabama for the first time in program history. The Golden Eagles hold an all-time record of 9-8 against the Bulldogs and 20-4 against the Billikens. Southern Miss welcomed Samford to Hattiesburg last season for a three-game series in March of 2021, finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record against the Bulldogs.
Southern Miss enters the 2022 season with a pair of returning stars looking to round out their collegiate careers in style. Graduate students Tata Davis and Destini Brown suit up for the Black & Gold for their fifth seasons, and following stellar 2021 campaigns, look to lead their squad into 2022.
Davis and Brown were honored as First Team All-Conference USA selections at the end of the 2021 season. Davis led Southern Miss in multiple hitting categories, while Brown dominated at the plate, which was supported by innovative base running.Â
Brown enters the Black & Gold Invitational just one stolen base from history, as she is currently tied with Chrystal Stevens for the most bases stolen in program history, with 81. Following a 2021 season which saw the McComb, Miss. native snag 35 stolen bases, Brown will likely break the record in Southern Miss' opening weekend.
Head coach Brian Levin welcomes nine freshmen for the 2022 season to accompany 10 returning student-athletes. The freshman class will bring a wealth of talent to the roster, as two-time Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year Paige Kilgore joins the Golden Eagles.
Southern Miss looks to open the 2022 season on the right foot, as the Golden Eagles will face off with North Alabama, Saint Louis and Samford in five contests from Feb. 11-13. Fans can catch the action on CUSA.tv ($), and on the radio on 92.7 The Score and 1400 AM.
Inside the Matchups | Headlines
Scouting North Alabama
-North Alabama is led into the 2022 season by ninth-year head coach Ashley Cozart.
-The Lions finished the 2021 season with a 19-19 record. UNA struggled on the road, with a 6-12 mark record.
-UNA recorded a 2-1 record against opponents from Conference USA, with a pair of wins against LA Tech and a loss to UAB.
Southern Miss - North Alabama Series
-The Black & Gold Invitational will see the first two matchups between USM and UNA.
Scouting Saint Louis
-Saint Louis enters the 2022 season following a 19-27 campaign in 2021, led by head coach Christy Connoyer.
-The Billikens will look to their veteran leadership, as SLU comes to Hattiesburg with 11 upperclassmen.
Southern Miss - Saint Louis Series
-Southern Miss holds a commanding 20-4 series lead against Saint Louis.
-The Golden Eagles and Billikens last faced off in a pair of games in Hattiesburg on Feb. 8-9, 2020. USM and Saint Louis split the series in Hattiesburg.
    Southern Miss, 20 | Saint Louis 4
        Home: 9-2
        Away: 9-2
        Neutral: 2-0 Â
Scouting Samford
-Samford comes to Hattiesburg to open its season after an 18-27 2021 season under coach Kimball Cassady.
-The Bulldogs welcome nine freshmen to their roster for the 2022 season.
-Southern Miss - Samford Series
-Southern Miss currently holds a 9-8 all-time record over the Bulldogs.
-The Golden Eagles and Bulldogs faced off in a three-game series last spring in Hattiesburg. USM went 2-1 against Samford, improving to 5-3 at home.
    Southern Miss, 9 | Saint Louis 7
        Home: 5-3
        Away: 2-2
        Neutral: 2-3 Â
Black & Gold Invitational History
-Southern Miss opens its season with the Black & Gold Invitational for the fourth-consecutive year.
-The Golden Eagles hold a record of 10-2 in the three previous Black & Gold Invitational tournaments, dating back to 2019. Southern Miss went 2-1 in the 2021 edition of the competition.
-Southern Miss welcomes Saint Louis to the Black & Gold Invitational, having faced off in the tournament in 2020, going 1-1 in a pair of matchups.Â
D Brown : One Stolen Base From History
-Graduate student Destini Brown is currently tied with Chrystal Stevens for the Southern Miss program record for stolen bases in a career.
-The McComb, Miss. native enters the Black & Gold Invitational with 81 stolen bases, needing just one to break the record.
-Last season, Brown led Conference USA in stolen bases with 35 and finished the 2021 season ranked No. 9 in the nation in the statistic.
Â
The Golden Eagles open their tournament with a pair of games on Friday, Feb. 11 against North Alabama (4:30 p.m.) and Saint Louis (7 p.m.) before taking on Samford (1 p.m.) and North Alabama (1 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 12. Southern Miss wraps up its weekend with one final contest against Samford on Feb. 13.
Southern Miss opens their season with the annual Black & Gold Invitational for the fourth-consecutive season. Southern Miss holds a 10-2 record throughout the previous three events dating back to 2019.
The Black & Gold take on two familiar foes in Saint Louis and Samford, and battle North Alabama for the first time in program history. The Golden Eagles hold an all-time record of 9-8 against the Bulldogs and 20-4 against the Billikens. Southern Miss welcomed Samford to Hattiesburg last season for a three-game series in March of 2021, finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record against the Bulldogs.
Southern Miss enters the 2022 season with a pair of returning stars looking to round out their collegiate careers in style. Graduate students Tata Davis and Destini Brown suit up for the Black & Gold for their fifth seasons, and following stellar 2021 campaigns, look to lead their squad into 2022.
Davis and Brown were honored as First Team All-Conference USA selections at the end of the 2021 season. Davis led Southern Miss in multiple hitting categories, while Brown dominated at the plate, which was supported by innovative base running.Â
Brown enters the Black & Gold Invitational just one stolen base from history, as she is currently tied with Chrystal Stevens for the most bases stolen in program history, with 81. Following a 2021 season which saw the McComb, Miss. native snag 35 stolen bases, Brown will likely break the record in Southern Miss' opening weekend.
Head coach Brian Levin welcomes nine freshmen for the 2022 season to accompany 10 returning student-athletes. The freshman class will bring a wealth of talent to the roster, as two-time Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year Paige Kilgore joins the Golden Eagles.
Southern Miss looks to open the 2022 season on the right foot, as the Golden Eagles will face off with North Alabama, Saint Louis and Samford in five contests from Feb. 11-13. Fans can catch the action on CUSA.tv ($), and on the radio on 92.7 The Score and 1400 AM.
Inside the Matchups | Headlines
Scouting North Alabama
-North Alabama is led into the 2022 season by ninth-year head coach Ashley Cozart.
-The Lions finished the 2021 season with a 19-19 record. UNA struggled on the road, with a 6-12 mark record.
-UNA recorded a 2-1 record against opponents from Conference USA, with a pair of wins against LA Tech and a loss to UAB.
Southern Miss - North Alabama Series
-The Black & Gold Invitational will see the first two matchups between USM and UNA.
Scouting Saint Louis
-Saint Louis enters the 2022 season following a 19-27 campaign in 2021, led by head coach Christy Connoyer.
-The Billikens will look to their veteran leadership, as SLU comes to Hattiesburg with 11 upperclassmen.
Southern Miss - Saint Louis Series
-Southern Miss holds a commanding 20-4 series lead against Saint Louis.
-The Golden Eagles and Billikens last faced off in a pair of games in Hattiesburg on Feb. 8-9, 2020. USM and Saint Louis split the series in Hattiesburg.
    Southern Miss, 20 | Saint Louis 4
        Home: 9-2
        Away: 9-2
        Neutral: 2-0 Â
Scouting Samford
-Samford comes to Hattiesburg to open its season after an 18-27 2021 season under coach Kimball Cassady.
-The Bulldogs welcome nine freshmen to their roster for the 2022 season.
-Southern Miss - Samford Series
-Southern Miss currently holds a 9-8 all-time record over the Bulldogs.
-The Golden Eagles and Bulldogs faced off in a three-game series last spring in Hattiesburg. USM went 2-1 against Samford, improving to 5-3 at home.
    Southern Miss, 9 | Saint Louis 7
        Home: 5-3
        Away: 2-2
        Neutral: 2-3 Â
Black & Gold Invitational History
-Southern Miss opens its season with the Black & Gold Invitational for the fourth-consecutive year.
-The Golden Eagles hold a record of 10-2 in the three previous Black & Gold Invitational tournaments, dating back to 2019. Southern Miss went 2-1 in the 2021 edition of the competition.
-Southern Miss welcomes Saint Louis to the Black & Gold Invitational, having faced off in the tournament in 2020, going 1-1 in a pair of matchups.Â
D Brown : One Stolen Base From History
-Graduate student Destini Brown is currently tied with Chrystal Stevens for the Southern Miss program record for stolen bases in a career.
-The McComb, Miss. native enters the Black & Gold Invitational with 81 stolen bases, needing just one to break the record.
-Last season, Brown led Conference USA in stolen bases with 35 and finished the 2021 season ranked No. 9 in the nation in the statistic.
Â
Players Mentioned
Letter to Softball: KK Agner
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Caroline Worrell
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Hannah Borden
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Maria Smith
Sunday, April 28