Season is just under a month away
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A challenging slate awaits the University of Evansville softball team in 2026. New Purple Aces head coach Bailey Dillender has put together a non-conference schedule that includes four reigning conference champions to prepare her squad for the Missouri Valley Conference.
“We are excited for the opportunities this season presents for Aces softball,” Dillender said. “I am excited to get started and for our team to have the opportunity to compete. I believe our non-conference slate came together nicely to help us prepare for Missouri Valley play starting in March.”
Action officially begins on February 6 when UE travels to Macon, Ga. for the Heart of Georgia Classic. Reigning Big South Tournament Champion Mercer is hosting the tournament. The Bears won 40 games last season while advancing to the finals at the Gainesville Regional. Evansville faces the Bears in two games while facing Maine in two contests and North Carolina A&T in one match-up.
Non-conference play continues Feb. 13 at the 901 Classic in Memphis, Tenn. Hosted by the University of Memphis, UE will face five opponents that weekend including the Tigers, Miami Ohio, USI, Ball State, and Kansas City. The RedHawks are the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champions where they played in the Knoxville Regional and earned a victory over North Carolina.
Another big weekend is on tap on Feb. 21 when the Aces travel to Conway, Ark. UE will face Central Arkansas twice while taking on Southeastern Louisiana and Saint Louis once. The Lions of Southeastern Louisiana won 50 games in 2025 on the way to the Southland Conference Championship. At the Baton Rouge Regional, the Lions earned two victories over 10th-ranked LSU. The Billikens were the Atlantic 10 Tournament Champs a season ago and advanced to the Fayetteville Regional. In its final non-conference weekend trip, UE travels to North Alabama for three games. UNA is coming off a 30-win season.
Following a trip to Butler on March 4, the Aces take to the field at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium for the first time on March 6 to open MVC action against Illinois State. League weekends in 2026 will generally consist of a Friday doubleheader and a single game on Saturday. After traveling to Louisville for a single game on March 10, Evansville opens a series at defending MVC Tournament Champion Belmont on the 13th.
Home action continues March 17 with a doubleheader against Indiana State before Murray State comes to town a 3-game set beginning on March 20. UE completes the month with a road trip to Drake. The month of April opens with four home games including a single contest versus Bellarmine on April 1. On the 3rd, UE opens a 3-game series versus UNI. Evansville travels to Southern Illinois on the 7th for a doubleheader then returns home for non-conference games versus SEMO (4/14) and Western Kentucky (4/15).
The final eight games of the month will be on the road starting with three games at Bradley on April 17-18. UE travels to Northern Kentucky on the 21st before trekking to UIC for a series on the 24th and 25th. On April 29, Evansville travels to Indiana University for a single contest.
UE welcomes Valparaiso for the final weekend of the regular season on May 1-2. The 2026 MVC Championship is set to run from May 6-9 in Carbondale, Ill.
