Vickee Kazee-Hollifield interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman softball will take on six of the eight teams that advanced to the Southeast Regional as a part of the Eagles' 2014 schedule. 

"Anyone who knows anything about our region knows this schedule is challenging," Carson-Newman head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "This schedule helps set us up to do somethings well within our region with an eye on postseason play."

Conference mates Lenoir-Rhyne, Anderson and Wingate all made postseason play, as did nonconference foes Georgia College, Armstrong Atlantic and Columbus State. 

The Eagles open their season February 7 with a road double header at Fort Valley State. From there it's back home to the newly minted Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex to face Lees-McRae, a team the Eagles swept last year. 

C-N concludes February and opens play in March with four games at the Mid-South Classic.  The Eagles will take on three of those six NCAA Tournament participants in a two-day stretch. Carson-Newman opens the Classic Feb. 28 with a double header against Columbus State and Georgia College.  Then, C-N goes back-to-back with Armstrong Atlantic and UNC Pembroke the next day. 

"With our region, we have to be ready every game," Kazee-Hollifield said. "A loss anywhere could be the one that knocks you out of postseason play.  I'm not a huge stat person, I'm more about being ahead by one run at the end of a game. But we sat down and looked at statistics this past year to find areas where we need to get stronger this year." 

Carson-Newman opens up conference play on March 15 against Coker. 

The Eagles play all three of the SAC's NCAA tournament participants at home.  Lenoir-Rhyne comes to Mossy Creek for a doubleheader on March 29.  Wingate rolls in on April 5 and Anderson comes in four days later on April 9. 

The Eagles' senior day is set for April 18 against Queens. C-N closes the season with 12 of 18 contests at "The Vick"

Head coach Kazee-Hollifield is nine wins away from her 1,000^th career victory.