FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood begins a busy week welcoming Virginia for its home opener at Lancer Field Tuesday before heading to No. 10 Clemson for the Tiger Invitational for five games Friday-Sunday.
SHORT HOPS
â–ª Counting doubleheaders, the Lancers are 45-14 (.763) in home openers since the 1991 season and 4-2 (.667) under fourth-year head coach
Dr. Megan Brown.Â
â–ª Catcher
Maggie Hiatt earned Big South Freshman of the Week Monday after hitting .600 (6-for-10) with a home run, two doubles, seven RBIs with a 1.100 slugging percentage, helping LU to a 3-1 week with two wins over Brown and one against Stetson at the Tennessee Classic. It was the second consecutive week the Lancers earned a Big South weekly honor following
Sophia Knock's Player of the Week nod Feb. 27.
â–ª Sophia Knock hit two more home runs in Knoxville last week in sweeping Brown and Stetson Saturday and, as of Monday, ranks eighth in the country in home runs per game (0.44) and 14th total homers with seven. as a team, LU leads the league at 0.75 per game.Â
LANCERS TIED ATOP BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL
Longwood was picked in a tie for the top spot 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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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 Feb. 23, 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 (0.44) and home runs (seven), ranking eighth and 14th, 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.
CHAPIN CONTINUES STRONG START AT TENNESSEE
Maggie Chapin went 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 16 innings at the Tennessee Classic last week. She posted her second complete-game shutout, 4-0, over Brown Saturday, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out four. Chapin also beat Stetson, 9-6, in 5 1/3 innings Saturday and vultured a win out of the bullpen against Brown Sunday, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings to win 6-4 in eight innings.
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.
