Games 14-20 • Virginia/Bank of teh James Invitational
Location • Dates	Farmville, Va. • Bank of the James Park • Feb. 24 and  Feb. 27-March 1
Game Notes	Longwood
Tournament Page	Tournament Page
Live Stats	Live Stats
Social Media	@LongwoodLancers | @LongwoodSB

FARMVILLE, Va. -- The Longwood softball team is set for a seven-game week, beginning Tuesday with nationally ranked Virginia and continuing this weekend with the second of three home tournaments, the Bank of the James Invitational.

SHORT HOPS
▪ On Sunday, the Lancers stormed back from a four-rundeficit in the first inning to claim an 8-6 victory against Lindenwood in Gainesville, Fla. The comeback featured five-run fourth inning, the big blow a grand slam by Brooke Bennett. It was Longwood's first slam since Korynna Anderson had one in the 2023 Big South tournament against Charleston Southern, part of a seven-RBI day for the infielder. 

▪ Longwood played No. 4/5 Florida tough Saturday, earning leads of 2-0 and 4-2 on two-run homers from Brooke Bennett and Lauren Faulkner, respectively, while Maggie Chapin no-hit Florida for 2 2/3 innings.

 ▪ The all-time series with Virginia, which began in 1981, is tied, 22-22. The only other team the Lancers will see this week who they have played previously is Hampton. Longwood leads that series, 22-2, having won the last four against the Pirates. The teams have not met since playing a three games in Hampton, Va., April 2-3, 2022. Longwood outscored HU, 20-2, that weekend.

BY THE NUMBERS
5 ▪ Longwood will play five teams that advanced to the 2025 NCAA tournament, including Southeastern Louisiana, Virginia, Virginia Tech, USC Upstate and Florida.
3 ▪Brooke Bennett hit safely in the final three games of the Florida Tournament, blasting home runs in each. She hit .500 (5-for-10) with eight RBIs in four games in Gainesville.
6 ▪ Head coach Dr. Megan Brown has six wins against teams that were either ranked at the time or are part of the Power 4 conferences in her time at Longwood.
20 ▪ Longwood has played to a 580-419 (.581) record since becoming Divison I eligible in 2007. The Lancers are in their 20th season in Division I in 2026.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
With the Lancers' come-from-behind 8-6 win over Lindenwood on the final day of the Florida Tournament in Gainesville on Sunday, Longwood head coach Dr. Megan Brown pulled into a tie with former coach Loretta Coughlin (1986-95) for the second-most wins in Longwood softball history with 133. 

LANCERS PICKED THIRD IN BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL
 Longwood was selected to finish third in the 2026 Big South preseason poll, the league announced on Jan. 21.

The Lancers received one first-place vote and 30 points in the voting. Radford headed the poll with five first-place votes and 47 points, while USC Upstate was second with the remaining first-place nod and 41 points.

Rounding out the poll was Winthrop in fourth with 29 points, Charleston Southern in fifth with 23, Gardner-Webb in sixth with 14 and Presbyterian with 12.

CHAPIN, KNOCK NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG SOUTH
Seniors Maggie Chapin and Sophia Knock were also selected to the preseason all-Big South team.

Chapin went 9-13 with a 4.51 ERA in 107 innings and 26 games in the circle in 2025. Knock batted .226 in 53 games with 10 doubles, six home runs and 20 RBIs. Both have earned all-Big South honors with Knock being named preseason Player of the Year prior to the 2025 season.

It marks the second straight season both players were named to the preseason all-Big South team.

BALTZELL TO THE HALL
Arguably the top offensive player in the history of Longwood softball, Megan Baltzell was announced as part of the six-member 2025 Longwood Athletics Hall of Fame class on Oct. 7.  Baltzell's name is synonymous with excellence in the Longwood softball program, and the two-time Big South Player of the Year is a member of the Big South All-Decade Team. She was an NFCA Second Team All-American in 2013, and her named is littered throughout the Longwood softball record books. She was a three-time All-Big South First Team selection in her three years in the Big South, as well. She was also recently named to D1Softball.com's All-Quarter Century Team in the non-Power 4 power hitter category.

A prodigious power hitter, Baltzell's 76 home runs are the most in program history, and she also sits first in hits, RBIs, runs scored, doubles, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. She also holds the top- two spots for home runs in a season (30 in 2013, 27 in 2015), RBIs (78 in 2013, 72 in 2015), and walks (66 in 2015, 44 in 2014).

Baltzell, a 2015 Longwood graduate, helped the Lancers win their first two Big South titles, in 2013 and 2015, and she earned NFCA All-Region honors three times (first team in 2013, second team in 2014 and 2015).

She will be the first softball player at Longwood enshrined in the hall of fame.

SCHOOL-RECORD 17 
School-record 17 Longwood players were named 2024-25 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholars. 

To be selected as an Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete, student-athletes must achieve a 3.5-or-better overall GPA on a 4.0 scale for the school year and this year's selections brings the Lancers' all-time NFCA Scholar Athlete total to 58.

Right-handed pitcher Er'ron Burton and designated player Maryanna Guy both posted perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Also earning selections this season as were: Brooke Bennett (3.969), Maggie Chapin (3.934), Maggie Hiatt (3.923), Avery Miller (3.862), Naleya Bridges (3.852), Kate Westmiller (3.834), Sarah Terrell (3.8), Sophia Pisacano (3.8), Peyton Simmons (3.693), Bailey Bucholz (3.679), Mallory Sanders (3.643), Erin Kirkland (3.625), Avery Drake (3.531), CierraGawryluk (3.53) and Sadie Armstrong (3.515).