In the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, the EMU’s softball team looks forward to beginning their 2018 game schedule on Feb. 24-25 at the Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Raleigh, NC.

Last spring, the team finished 22-16 overall, including the seventh seed in the conference at 9-11. Unfortunately, the Royals were eliminated on the first day of the ODAC tournament with a pair of losses.

Sophomore Taylor Hensley is excited to begin the 40-game season. She said, “I am also looking forward to making it back to the ODAC tournament and hopefully coming out on top.” This year’s squad includes only four juniors with no seniors on a roster of 18 players. The Royals are a young team, as they add eight first-years after graduating three seniors last season.

Fifteen-year veteran coach, J.D. McCurdy is preparing the team for their long season ahead. As the season starts, the Royals look to return to the heights of the 2016 season. Two years ago, EMU finished second in the ODAC, falling 10-9 in nine innings in the ODAC Championship game to Virginia Wesleyan.

Following her knee surgery back in 2017, sophomore Tiffany Shaheen looks forward to being able to play after she redshirted last year. Looking to the future, she said, “I am looking forward to going back to the ODAC championship game and hopefully winning.”

Another sophomore returner is All-ODAC player Beck Hoskins. In her first year, Hoskins received ODAC Third Team as an outfielder. Throughout McCurdy’s 14 seasons, Hoskin’s record of 19 stolen bases is the highest single-season total of any player he has coached. As a left-hander, she batted .355 with team highs of 33 runs, 44 hits, and 17 walks.

With such an intense schedule, Hoskins said, “We purposefully do not start until later, but then pack a lot of games in a short amount of time. Once we start playing, we do not stop.”

The team gained a few transfers this season. Sophomore Casey Webb transferred from Shenandoah University this year, while sophomore Sam Breeden altransferred from Randolph College. With both schools being a part of the ODAC, the two said, “It is going to be strange going from playing with the competition to competing against them,” but both are eager to begin the season.

The Royals have their home opener on March 17 against NCAA Regional Champions, Christopher Newport University, at 1:30 p.m.