University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Opens 2024 Season With River City Leadoff
2/8/2024 9:30:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss.- Southern Miss Softball officially begins its 2024 campaign tomorrow, competing in five games total this weekend in the River City Leadoff tournament in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Golden Eagles' first match will take place against Fordham at 12:30 p.m. at the UNF Softball Complex and the team will complete opening day with a 5:30 p.m. matchup versus North Florida. Southern Miss will face Fordham again at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex Saturday at 10 a.m. with a following contest against Jacksonville at 12:30 p.m. To wrap up the tournament, the Golden Eagles will clash against Sun Belt opponent James Madison Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
The tournament will mark the first time that the Golden Eagles have opened the season on the road since 2018.
Southern Miss Schedule
Friday, Feb. 9- 12:30 p.m. CT vs. Fordham-UNF Softball Complex
5:30 p.m. CT at North Florida-UNF Softball Complex
ESPN+: https://es.pn/4950pbE
Saturday, Feb. 10- 10 a.m. CT vs. Fordham-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
12:30 p.m. CT at Jacksonville-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
Sunday, Feb. 11- 10:30 a.m. CT vs. James Madison-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
14 newcomers and 10 returning players make up the Golden Eagles' 2024 roster, led by second-year head coach Natalie Poole.
Included in the team's returners are graduate students Hannah Borden and Caroline Worrell and senior Maria Smith, who look to provide leadership and experience to the team in their final seasons for the Black and Gold. Borden was the lone All-Conference selection last season, being named Second Team All-Sun Belt after notching a team-high 46 hits, 11 doubles, 11 home runs and 28 RBI.
Other returning starters include junior pitcher and designated player Jana Lee, junior Natalie Taylor, sophomore Nealy McManus and sophomore Kinsley Gordon.
Poole welcomes four freshmen, two transfers and eight junior college signees to accompany the team's returners.
The Golden Eagles add a wealth of talent from local junior colleges, including national championship winner Maddie Weeks from Co-Lin, KK Agner from MGCCC and Lauren Lindsey and Holly Craft from Jones College. Graduate transfer Mikaila Fox (Ocean Springs, Miss.) also makes a return to her home state after graduating from Virginia.
The Golden Eagles were picked to finish ninth in the Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. With a bolstered roster, Southern Miss looks to build upon the success of its inaugural season in the Sun Belt that saw the program's first conference tournament appearance since 2019.
Scouting the Competition
Fordham
Series History
North Florida
Series History
Jacksonville
Series History
James Madison
Series History
For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
The Golden Eagles' first match will take place against Fordham at 12:30 p.m. at the UNF Softball Complex and the team will complete opening day with a 5:30 p.m. matchup versus North Florida. Southern Miss will face Fordham again at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex Saturday at 10 a.m. with a following contest against Jacksonville at 12:30 p.m. To wrap up the tournament, the Golden Eagles will clash against Sun Belt opponent James Madison Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
The tournament will mark the first time that the Golden Eagles have opened the season on the road since 2018.
Southern Miss Schedule
Friday, Feb. 9- 12:30 p.m. CT vs. Fordham-UNF Softball Complex
5:30 p.m. CT at North Florida-UNF Softball Complex
ESPN+: https://es.pn/4950pbE
Saturday, Feb. 10- 10 a.m. CT vs. Fordham-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
12:30 p.m. CT at Jacksonville-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
Sunday, Feb. 11- 10:30 a.m. CT vs. James Madison-Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex
14 newcomers and 10 returning players make up the Golden Eagles' 2024 roster, led by second-year head coach Natalie Poole.
Included in the team's returners are graduate students Hannah Borden and Caroline Worrell and senior Maria Smith, who look to provide leadership and experience to the team in their final seasons for the Black and Gold. Borden was the lone All-Conference selection last season, being named Second Team All-Sun Belt after notching a team-high 46 hits, 11 doubles, 11 home runs and 28 RBI.
Other returning starters include junior pitcher and designated player Jana Lee, junior Natalie Taylor, sophomore Nealy McManus and sophomore Kinsley Gordon.
Poole welcomes four freshmen, two transfers and eight junior college signees to accompany the team's returners.
The Golden Eagles add a wealth of talent from local junior colleges, including national championship winner Maddie Weeks from Co-Lin, KK Agner from MGCCC and Lauren Lindsey and Holly Craft from Jones College. Graduate transfer Mikaila Fox (Ocean Springs, Miss.) also makes a return to her home state after graduating from Virginia.
The Golden Eagles were picked to finish ninth in the Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. With a bolstered roster, Southern Miss looks to build upon the success of its inaugural season in the Sun Belt that saw the program's first conference tournament appearance since 2019.
Scouting the Competition
Fordham
- Fordham enters its 40th varsity season, following a 20-28 campaign and fifth-place standing (11-10) in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
- The Rams are led by sixth-year head coach Melissa Inouye, who has led the program to a pair of Atlantic 10 titles. Inouye earned the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award in 2019 and led Fordham to its tenth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022.
- Fordham enters the 2024 season with 14 returners, a grad transfer and four freshmen on its roster.
- Included in the Rams' returners is Neleh Nogay, who batted a .397 average last season with a team-high 52 hits, which both ranked third in the Atlantic 10. The sophomore landed First Team All-Conference and First Team NFCA All-Region honors in her freshman campaign.
- Fordham has experience in the bullpen, returning all four of its starting pitchers from last season. Holly Beeman posted an 8-9 record last season with a 1.47 ERA in 109 innings pitched, allowing 85 hits and 39 runs while striking out 60 batters. Bailey Enoch and Devon Miller each pitched around 87 innings with 56 strikeouts apiece.
Series History
- Southern Miss will play Fordham for the first time in program history at the River City Leadoff.
North Florida
- North Florida finished the 2023 season 29-23-1 with a 10-13-1 conference standing. The Ospreys were picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic Sun Conference this season.
- The Ospreys are led by second-year head coach Jeff Conrad. Conrad joined North Florida's staff in 2015, serving as an assistant coach and being promoted to associate head coach in 2019.
- North Florida boasts 21 returners with an experienced roster consisting of 14 upperclassmen.
- Graduate student Shannon Glover was selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team. Glover was a Second Team All-ASUN selection in 2023 after earning 59 hits with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 37 RBI.
Series History
- Southern Miss will meet North Florida for the first time in program history at the River City Leadoff.
Jacksonville
- Jacksonville was picked to finish eighth in the ASUN this season. The Dolphins finished last season 25-27 with an 11-13 standing in the ASUN.
- The Dolphins are led by seventh-year head coach Erica Ayers, who has amassed a 126-153 record with the program. Ayers joined the Jacksonville staff in 2016 as an assistant coach.
- Infielder Madison Reynolds was selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team. Reynolds was the only Dolphin to start every game last season and led the team with a .323 batting average, 51 hits, 12 doubles, 22 walks and ten stolen bases.
- The Dolphins bring back 12 returners and also welcome 10 freshmen to its roster.
Series History
- Southern Miss has met Jacksonville once, winning a 7-1 contest on Feb. 24, 2006 in Jacksonville, Fla.
James Madison
- JMU was picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt. The Dukes posted a 28-19 record in 2023, including a sixth-place 13-11 record in the Sun Belt.
- The Dukes are led by Loren LaPorte, who will be serving her seventh year as the program's head coach.
- Sophomore KK Mathis was named First Team All-Conference after leading JMU with a .336 batting average, 48 hits, 12 doubles, along with recording 12 home runs.
- JMU returns 18 and welcomes two freshmen and three transfers.
Series History
- Southern Miss will clash against Sun Belt opponent James Madison for the first time in program history.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballLetter 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