KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Longwood softball team returns to the diamond at the Tennessee Classic Saturday and Sunday in Knoxville. The Lancers and Lady Vols have also added a single game Monday, separate from the tournament.
SHORT HOPS
▪ The Lancers face a pair of first-time opponents in Stetson and Brown this weekend while being 0-6 against Tennessee all-time. Longwood is 6-2 (.750) against the Ivy League, 8-16 (.333) against the A-Sun and 7-58 (.108) versus the SEC.
▪ Sophomore infielder Sophia Knock earned Co-Big South Conference Player of the Week honors following a 4-for-4 day with three home runs and six RBIs in a 9-8 loss to Northern Iowa last Friday at Auburn's Plainsman Invitational. Knock hit one homer to each field in the contest with a solo shot to right in the second inning, a two-run blast to center in the third and a three-run homer to left in the seventh.
▪ Longwood was picked in a tie atop the 2024 Big South Conference Preseason Poll, released Jan. 24. The Lancers received four first-place votes and 45 points in the poll to tie with USC Upstate.
BY THE NUMBERS
60 ▪ Longwood finished 60th overall in the NCAA's final 2023 RPI standings, ahead of two of this weekend's opponents – Stetson (105th) and Brown (276th).
8 ▪ The Lancers were slated to play eight teams that advanced to the 2023 tournament, including Women's College World Series teams, Alabama and Tennessee.
2 ▪ LU earned a pair of victories in 2023 against teams in the top 10 of the national polls, winning at No. 4 Florida State on Feb. 11, 5-4, and versus No. 8 Duke April 26, 4-3.
5 ▪ A league-high five Lancers were named to the 2024 preseason All-Big South Team – Korynna Anderson, Er'ron Burton, Lauren Fox, Maryanna Guy and Lauren Taylor.
18 ▪ Longwood has played to a 483-312 (.607) record since becoming Division I eligible for the 2007 season. The Lancers are in their 18th season in Division in 2024.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Last season, Longwood played the 55th most difficult schedule in the nation. In 2024, the Lancers scheduled at least 10 games against eight teams that advanced to the 2023 NCAA tournament, including two Women's College World Series participants. The Lancers scheduled Alabama and Auburn two times each and single games against Charlotte, Clemson, Duke, Liberty Minnesota and Tennessee.
BIG SOUTH DOMINANCE
Since joining the Big South Conference in 2013, Longwood softball has emerged as the league's premier team. Under former head coach Kathy Riley, who retired after the 2020 season, the Lancers won five of seven Big South league titles, doing so in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Longwood's five Big South championships are the third most in league history and the most by any team in a seven-year span. Only Coastal Carolina (1992-2012) and Winthrop (1987-Present) have won more, with six titles apiece.
The Lancers have won the last two consecutive Big South regular-season titles under fourth-year head coach Dr. Megan Brown.
LONGWOOD IN NCAA REGIONALS
Longwood has advanced to five NCAA Division I regionals and reached the regional final in 2016 and 2017. The Lancers played in the NCAA postseason in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, tying former member Coastal Carolina for the most regional appearances in Big South history.
Longwood is 5-10 overall in NCAA Division I regional play, securing the most NCAA postseason wins by any Big South softball team. The Lancers played to a 2-4 in a pair of NCAA Division II regionals in 2002 and 2003.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
Against Northern Iowa last Friday, infielder Sophia Knock become the fourth Longwood player in history with a three-homer game and first since Emily Murphy did it in an 8-6 Big South tournament victory over Campbell on May 11, 2013. Knock also joined Stanford's Aly Kaneshiro and Kassidy Moore of Mercer, as one of the only three players to hit three home runs in a game this season. She leads the Big South in home runs per game (0.42) and home runs (five), ranking 26th and 33rd, respectively, in the NCAA.
CHAPIN STRONG IN THE CIRCLE AT EAST CAROLINA
Right-hander Maggie Chapin posted consecutive complete-game wins versus Fairfield and in defeating East Carolina, 5-2, in game one on Feb 18. Chapin handed the 11-1 Pirates their first loss, allowing six hits, one walk and one earned run with a career-high nine strikeouts. She finished the weekend 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 17 1/3 innings pitched.
RETURNING OFFENSE
Longwood returns 68.5 percent of its total RBIs, 66.2 percent of its runs scored and 65.8 percent of its home runs from 2023. Back in 2024 to power the offense are a quartet of All-Big South second team selections in graduate infielders Korynna Anderson and Lauren Taylor, senior outfielder Lauren Fox and sophomore catcher/designated player Maryanna Guy. A Brandon, Miss., native, Guy belted a team-high-tying eight home runs, while batting .313 on her way to earning NFCA second team all-region honors as well as spot on the Big South All-Freshman Team.
RETURNING PITCHERS
Junior Er'ron Burton and Maggie Chapin are back in the circle for the Lancers in 2024. Burton, one of five Longwood players named preseason All-Big South in January, was a second team selection last spring and earned a place on the league's all-tournament team pitching to a 3.14 ERA and 16-8 record in a team-best 131.2 innings. Chapin earned six victories in 20 starts and 29 appearances with a 3.26 ERA over 111.2 innings.
VINSON WINS NFCA RAWLINGS GOLD GLOVE AWARD
Junior outfielder Emily Vinson played errorless ball in 68 chances in left field last year to earn an NFCA Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Vinson, who had seven outfield assists, became the first mid-major player to earn the recognition in the award's second year of existence.
