FARMVILLE, Va. -- The Longwood softball team opens its home slate with a Sunday doubleheader at Lancer Field against N.C. Central before heading to the Mizuno Classic Monday to face Delaware and Virginia.
SHORT HOPS
▪ The games against North Carolina Central give the Lancers the earliest start to their home slate since hosting the Lancer Launch Feb. 14-15, 2019 against Robert Morris and Norfolk State.
▪ Longwood is a combined 29-19 all-time against this week's competition, including a 22-19 mark against Virginia since Longwood began playing softball in 1981.
▪ Longwood went 0-3 at Georgia's Red & Black Showcase last weekend, but hung with both Michigan State and the No. 10/11 Bulldogs on Friday and Sunday, respectively. The Lancers got a solo homer from
Maggie Hiatt in the fourth and
Avery Jefferson hit an RBI double in the top of the fifth to tie the Spartans, 2-2, before MSU put up five runs in their half of the fifth to win, 7-2.
▪ Against Georgia, Longwood used a five-run fifth to get within 7-5. UGA, however, won, 11-5.
Avery Drake paced Longwood at the plate on the weekend, hitting .375. She has hit safely in 6-of-8 games this season and posted her eighth multi-hit game in two seasons at Longwood, versus Georgia.
▪ Head coach
Dr. Megan Brown has five wins over Power 4 schools in her time at Longwood. No other Big South institution has more than two since her arrival in 2021.
BY THE NUMBERS
10 ▪
Longwood will play 10 teams in the top 56 of the final 2024 RPI, including Women's College World Series finalist No. 1 Texas and super regional qualifier No. 11 Georgia.
50 ▪
Avery Drake is 35th in Division I among active players in career stolen bases with 50. She played at Houston Christian (2020-23), where she swiped 39 bags.
71 ▪
Longwood played the 71st toughest schedule in 2024 with its opposition amassing a 1,448-1,185-4 record for a .550 winning percentage.
93 ▪
Senior right-hander
Er'ron Burton has pitched in 93 career games for the Lancers, which is the 49th most in Division I of among active players.
19 ▪ Longwood has played to a 556-382 (.593) record since becoming Division I eligible for the 2007 season. The Lancers are in their 19th season in Division I in 2025.
KNOCK NAMED PRESEASON BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Junior first baseman
Sophia Knock was tabbed Preseason Big South Player of the Year on Jan. 22. Knock had a breakout sophomore season earning All-Big South first team honors in 2024, belting a league-high 10 home runs while batting .326 with 31 RBIs, 46 hits and 24 walks. She was named Co-Big South Player of the Week on Feb. 27 after hitting three homers in a game against Northern Iowa. She added solo shots in the next two games against Brown and Stetson, as well, both Longwood victories.
Knock is the third Longwood player to earn the honor, joining Megan Baltzell in 2014 and 2015 and Bug Batten in 2019.
CHAPIN, GAWRYLUK ALSO PRESEASON ALL-BIG SOUTH
Junior right-handed pitcher
Maggie Chapin and sophomore lefty
Cierra Gawryluk were named to the preseason all-Big South team, along with
Sophia Knock.
Chapin was named to the All-Big South second team last season after pitching to a 14-14 record with a 4.13 ERA in 157 2/3 innings over 36 outings, including 25 starts. She struck out 102, walked 88 and posted 14 complete games (80th in the NCAA), six shutouts (24th nationally) and earned one save.
Gawryluk earned a Big South All-Freshman Team nod in 2024 while being named to the Big South All-Tournament Team. She pitched to a team-best 3.84 ERA over 30 games and 13 starts, going 4-7 overall in 89 1/3 innings with 34 strikeouts.
Gawryluk collected consecutive Big South Freshman of the Week honors on April 22 and 29. The Suffolk, Va., native pitched to a team-best 3.84 ERA over 30 games and 13 starts, going 4-7 overall in 89 1/3 innings with 34 strikeouts, two complete-game shutouts and two saves. She struck out a season-high seven in a 7-5 Big South tournament elimination-game win over Charleston Southern on May 10.
DR. BROWN NAMED TO NFCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Head coach
Dr. Megan Brown was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Board of Directors, announced on Oct. 21. Brown, who signed a five-year contract extension in the summer to stay in Farmville through 2029, is serving a three-year term as the organization's Vice President for Education, which began on Jan. 1, and is one of three first-time board members. Brown joins California junior college representative Marian "Speedy" Mendoza of Fullerton College and travel ball representative Suzy Willemssen from Virginia Glory.
GUY BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER
Redshirt sophomore catcher
Maryanna Guy, who missed all but four games in 2024 due to injury, is back this season. As a freshman in 2023, she named to the NFCA second team all-region batting batting .313, with five doubles, eight homers and 20 RBIs, a .977 OPS and .615 slugging percentage.
BIG SOUTH DOMINANCE
Since joining the Big South Conference in 2013, Longwood has emerged as the league's premier team. Under former head coach Kathy Riley, who retired following the 2020 season, the Lancers won five of seven Big South titles, 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 two of the last four Big South regular-season titles under fifth-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 record in a pair of NCAA Division II regionals in 2002 and 2003.
