Graves sets challenging slate for 2023
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves has released the Eagles’ 2023 campaign, featuring 12 games against teams that made either the Southeast, South or Midwest Regionals in 2022.
VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head softball coach Michael Graves has released the Eagles' 2023 campaign, featuring 12 games against teams that made either the Southeast, South or Midwest Regionals in 2022.
Just under a quarter of Carson-Newman's games for 2023 will be against teams who made postseason play a year ago. Eight of those games come via doubleheaders in South Atlantic Conference play, while the other four come through tournaments Carson-Newman is scheduled to play in the month of February.
"I might have gotten carried away with tournament play," head softball coach Michael Graves said with a chuckle. "The past few years we have had trouble finding people to play in February. The solution to that problem was to go to tournaments. We had a good time at the Charger Chillout and then we got invited to the NFCA leadoff tournament.
"A lot of times when you get invited to these events, they'll ask if there is anyone you want to play. I don't ever want to ask for anyone, but I also don't ever want to hear that we won't play anyone (good). So I just said put us in a dugout and tell us what time to be there. It has the chance to be incredible for our strength of schedule, but we also have to go out and win some games."
Carson-Newman opens the schedule Feb. 1 with its lone home games in the month of February when it takes on Concord in a doubleheader at The Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex at noon.
From there, the Eagles hit the road the next four weekends to head to four tournaments. Feb. 4 sends the Eagles to Milledgeville, Ga. to play in Georgia College's tournament against the host Bobcats, Fort Valley State and Emmanuel.
The next week, Carson-Newman heads back to the Charger Chillout in Albertville, Ala. on Feb. 10 for six games. While there, the Eagles will get a crack at Indianapolis, who made last year's Midwest Regional. Carson-Newman will take on Mississippi College and Shorter for a second straight year. C-N will take on Union, Christian Brothers and Maryville (Mo.) for the first time in program history.
Feb. 17-18 sends the Eagles back to the Bearcat/Fleet Invite at Erskine and Lander. The Eagles tangle with the two hosts on the first day before playing Division II newcomer South Carolina Beaufort and Emmanuel on day two.
The month of tournaments comes to a close on Feb. 24 in Columbus, Ga. at the 2023 NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic. There, Carson-Newman will square off with three regional participants in Alabama Huntsville and Embry-Riddle from the South and Ohio Dominican from the Midwest. The other two games that weekend are against Columbus State and Northern State.
"If you look top to bottom, I think the SAC is one of the toughest leagues in this country," Graves said. "We want to be ready for that. So playing the UINDY's, the UAH's, the Columbus States will enable us to be battle tested and ready for that."
Carson-Newman has never played Northern State, Embry-Riddle nor Alabama Huntsville (the Chargers have appeared on schedules past, but have been washed out to rain or CoVID). Carson-Newman will square off with Ohio Dominican for the first time since 1992 (the Eagles took two from the Panthers) and Columbus State for the first time since 2014. CSU leads the all-time series with C-N 14-9.
Conference play for Carson-Newman starts on Feb. 22 at Mars Hill. League play gets in full swing March 1 against Coker. Random non-conference twinbills are interspersed throughout March and April against Lees-McRae, North Greenville and at Concord.
Carson-Newman celebrates senior day April 15 against Emory & Henry before wrapping up the regular season at Lenoir-Rhyne on April 22.
"There are so many teams in this league who are capable of making a regional," Graves said. "I can think of eight or nine teams who could make a run. Teams continue to get better and better. There are no easy wins in the SAC."
All home games and SAC games will be broadcast on FloSports at cneagles.com/flo. The Eagle Sports Network will offer free radio broadcasts of home games and select road games at cneagles.com/live.
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
NOTES |
STATUS |
|
Feb. 01, 2023 |
Concord |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
Concord |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Feb. 04, 2023 |
at Georgia College |
Georgia College Tournament |
1:00 PM |
|
|
vs. Fort Valley St. @ Milledgeville, Ga. (Peeler Complex) |
Georgia College Tournament |
5:00 PM |
|
Feb. 05, 2023 |
vs. Emmanuel (Ga.) @ Milledgeville, Ga. (Peeler Complex) |
Georgia College Tournament |
10:00 AM |
|
|
vs. Emmanuel (Ga.) @ Milledgeville, Ga. (Peeler Complex) |
Georgia College Tournament |
12:00 PM |
|
Feb. 10, 2023 |
vs. Mississippi Col. @ Albertville, Ala. (American Field 1) |
Charger Chillout |
12:00 PM |
|
|
vs. Maryville (MO) @ Albertville, Ala. (American Field 1) |
Charger Chillout |
2:30 PM |
|
Feb. 11, 2023 |
vs. Christian Bros. @ Albertville, Ala. (American Field 3) |
Charger Chillout |
1:30 PM |
|
|
vs. Union (TN) @ Albertville, Ala. (American Field 3) |
Charger Chillout |
4:00 PM |
|
Feb. 12, 2023 |
vs. Indianapolis @ Albertville, Ala. (National Field 3) |
Charger Chillout |
10:00 AM |
|
|
vs. Shorter @ Albertville, Ala. (National Field 1) |
Charger Chillout |
12:30 PM |
|
Feb. 17, 2023 |
at Erskine |
Bearcat/Fleet Invitational |
12:00 PM |
|
|
at Lander |
Bearcat/Fleet Invitational |
5:00 PM |
|
Feb. 18, 2023 |
vs. S.C. Beaufort @ Greenwood, S.C. (Doug Spears Field) |
Bearcat/Fleet Invitational |
9:00 AM |
|
|
vs. Emmanuel (Ga.) @ Greenwood, S.C. (Doug Spears Field) |
Bearcat/Fleet Invitational |
11:00 AM |
|
Feb. 22, 2023 |
at Mars Hill * |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Mars Hill * |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Feb. 24, 2023 |
vs. Northern St. @ Columbus, Ga. (Field 3) |
2023 NCAA Division II Leadoff Classic |
12:30 PM |
|
|
vs. Columbus St. @ Columbus, Ga. (Field 3) |
2023 NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic |
3:30 PM |
|
Feb. 25, 2023 |
vs. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) @ Columbus, Ga. (Field 4) |
2023 NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic |
3:30 PM |
|
|
vs. Alabama Huntsville @ Columbus, Ga. (Stadium Field) |
2023 NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic |
5:30 PM |
|
Feb. 26, 2023 |
vs. Ohio Dominican @ Columbus, Ga. (Field 2) |
2023 NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic |
11:30 AM |
|
Mar. 01, 2023 |
Coker * |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
Coker * |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 03, 2023 |
Lees-McRae |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
Lees-McRae |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 07, 2023 |
Limestone * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
Limestone * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 09, 2023 |
at North Greenville |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
at North Greenville |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 11, 2023 |
Catawba * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
Catawba * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 14, 2023 |
at Virginia-Wise * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Virginia-Wise * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 18, 2023 |
Newberry * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
Newberry * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Mar. 29, 2023 |
Lincoln Memorial * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
Lincoln Memorial * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 01, 2023 |
at Wingate * |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Wingate * |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 05, 2023 |
at Concord |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Concord |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 08, 2023 |
at Anderson (S.C.) * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Anderson (S.C.) * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 11, 2023 |
Tusculum * |
12:00 PM |
|
|
|
Tusculum * |
2:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 15, 2023 |
Emory & Henry * |
1:00 PM |
|
|
|
Emory & Henry * |
3:00 PM |
|
|
Apr. 22, 2023 |
at Lenoir-Rhyne * |
2:00 PM |
|
|
|
at Lenoir-Rhyne * |
4:00 PM |
