George Washington University Athletics
Softball Announces 2017 Schedule
11/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2017 Schedule
WASHINGTON - The George Washington softball squad has released its 2017 slate, first-year head coach James DeFeo announced.
GW will participate in five early-season tournaments - including two at home - before opening Atlantic 10 play at the end of March. The Colonials are set to take on a pair of NCAA Regional qualifiers from 2016 in a strong spring slate.
The Buff and Blue head south to start the season, first at the D9 Orange Blossom Invitational in Orlando, Florida, from Feb. 17-19, where the Colonials will face Marshall, Stetson, Providence and Bethune Cookman for five games during the three-day tournament.
GW then travels to North Carolina for the UNC-Greensboro Invitational from Feb. 25-26. The Colonials will face 2016 NCAA Regional participant and back-to-back Big South Champion Longwood in addition to the host Spartans for four games.
The three-day Colonial Classic from March 3-5 opens GW's home season as Quinnipiac, Monmouth and Bucknell visit the GW Softball Field on the Mount Vernon Campus. The Colonials will compete six times in the tournament.
The UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Classic from March 10-12 marks the final road tournament for the Colonials in 2017. GW will face Northern Colorado, Sacred Heart, San Diego and UC-Santa Barbara and play in five games.
GW welcomes Niagara and Albany to the District for the Buff and Blue Challenge from March 17-19 to wrap tournament play with six games at the GW Softball Field.
The Colonials host Buffalo for a doubleheader on March 21 before opening Atlantic 10 conference play at home with a three-game set with Dayton from March 25-26, closing a 13-game homestand.
GW will play eight-consecutive road games to start April, first traveling to Massachusetts for an A-10 series, April 1-2. A mid-week doubleheader at Coppin State follows on April 4. The Colonials will then take a short trip to league foe La Salle from April 8-9.
The Buff and Blue will play host to Delaware State for doubleheader action on April 11 before hosting conference opponent Saint Louis for a three-game set from April 14-15. GW will renew the #RevolutionaryRivalry on April 19 for the only mid-week A-10 bout of the season in a doubleheader at home against George Mason.
GW concludes April as it began, on the road, this time with a seven-game stint. The Colonials first visit reigning A-10 Champion and 2016 NCAA Regional participant Fordham from April 22-23. The Colonials then travel to Virginia for a single game on April 26 for the final non-conference contest of the season before heading to Saint Joseph's to conclude regular-season road play with a three-game A-10 series from April 29-30.
The Colonials return home to wrap the regular season with a three-game set with Rhode Island from May 6-7. Sunday, May 7, will feature a Senior Day ceremony prior to first pitch.
The 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship will be held from May 10-13 at George Mason in Fairfax, Virginia. The top six teams in the league will earn a spot in postseason play and vie for the A-10's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The conference champion will compete in NCAA Regional play from May 19-21.
