VIDEO: Vickee Hollifield Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield unveiled the Eagles' 2018 softball schedule Friday, which features the majority of the field that made last year's NCAA Southeast Regional and six teams that went to postseason play a year ago.

The Eagles take on Limestone, North Greenville, Young Harris and Lenoir-Rhyne, who all made the Southeast Regional last year.  The Eagles also play Georgia College and USC Aiken in non-conference action, both programs are two years removed from regional play, as well as Concord, who made the Atlantic Regional two years ago.

"We've tried to schedule teams that are poised to make the regional every year," Kazee-Hollifield said. "It's not like we're playing them one game at a tournament, it's a full double-header. If you win those games, it just increases your chances of advancing to NCAA tournament play."

Additionally, the Eagles will match wits for the first time ever with the New Haven Chargers out of West Haven, Conn.  The Chargers, under the direction of 11^th-year head coach Jen Starek, went 30-16 last year and took home the second seed in the East Regional.  They've been in the East Regional for half of Starek's coaching career.

"I served with Jen on the Division II national committee for several years and became good friends with her," Kazee-Hollifield said. "I always told her if she was making the trip down for some spring break games to please stop by.  I'm so thrilled that we got that worked out, and we get to play a very strong team."

The schedule consists of 25 doubleheaders, 14 at home and 11 on the road, plus four games at neutral sites at the Mid-South Classic in Spartanburg, S.C. in late February. 

Carson-Newman opens the year at home for 10 of its first 14 games.  The Eagles crank open the year with Lees-McRae before travelling to Erskine.  The segues into a stretch of eight home games for the Eagles out of 10.  The lone road trip comes on Feb. 13 to play NCAA tournament participant North Greenville.

"It's always important to play home games, especially when we'll be relying on a few freshmen in spots to make impacts," Kazee-Hollifield said. "It's always good you get to play at home and sleep in your own beds."

The difficult level ratchets up for the Eagles once the month of March hits.  Six of the Eagles' eight doubleheaders to open the month feature teams that made a regional within the last two years. That leads the Eagles into conference play, where they take on Newberry on March 17.  Senior day is scheduled for April 14 against Lenoir-Rhyne.

"You look at last year," Kazee-Hollifield said. "I don't care who you're playing in the conference, you're going to have a tough battle.  There's no question we'll have to be prepared no matter who we're playing in the SAC."