Aces Open The Seasons On February 7
University of Evansville head softball coach Mat Mundell has announced his 2020 schedule, which includes seven NCAA Tournament participants and is highlighted by the 2020 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament being played at Cooper Stadium.
“We are really excited to be able to release our schedule for the 2020 softball season,†Mundell said. “I feel like we have a really good non-conference slate with some good mid-majors and a few Power 5 teams. We feel like this helps us to prepare for what is always a tough Missouri Valley Conference schedule.â€
Opening weekend will begin on Friday, February 7 when the Purple Aces travel to the Total Control Sports Invitational in Rosemont, Ill. The Aces open up with a tough test against Miami Ohio. The RedHawks were 35-16 last season while going 16-4 in Mid-American Conference play on their way to the regular-season championship. The Aces wrap up opening day with a game against Butler. On Feb. 8, UE faces Western Illinois and IUPUI before taking on Green Bay in Sunday’s finale.
Up next is a trip to Mobile, Alabama for the Jaguar Challenge. Louisiana Tech will be the first opponent on Feb. 14; the Bulldogs won 45 games a season ago and were 19-5 in Conference USA. They won their conference tournament and played in the Baton Rouge Regional. The day wraps up with a game against Austin Peay, who won 33 games last season. On Saturday the 15th, Evansville takes on Louisiana Tech for the second time before facing host South Alabama in the finale of the day and on Sunday.
The third weekend of action will see the Aces head to a tournament in Statesboro, Ga. Hosted by Georgia Southern. Evansville opens up against Furman and Georgia Southern on an opening day before facing Furman and Maryland on Feb. 22. Sunday’s final day pits the Aces against Monmouth, who picked up 36 wins last year and were MAAC Champions, advancing to play in the Baton Rouge Regional.
February wraps up with the Blues City Classic in Memphis, Tenn. On Feb. 28, the Aces take on North Alabama, who was 26-20 a season ago. On the 29th, Evansville takes on a pair of solid squads in Northern Illinois and Northwestern State, who won 27 and 30 games, respectively last year. A contest against host Memphis will open the month of March.
In their final non-conference weekend tournament, UE travels to Louisville for the Red & Black Challenge. A tough field features three postseason teams from 2019. The Aces open up against Oakland University on Friday, March 6 before wrapping up the day against Northwestern. The Wildcats are coming off of a 47-win campaign that saw them go 21-2 in the Big Ten. They fell to Oklahoma in the Super Regionals. On the 7th, UE takes on Oakland once against before facing Illinois. The Fighting Illini had 33 wins last year and earned a berth in the Lexington Regional. Louisville is the final opponent of the weekend and earned 35 wins last year on their way to the NCAA Tournament and the Evanston Regional.
Home action begins with a non-conference game against Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday, March 10. It will be the start of an 8-game homestand. Missouri Valley Conference play begins on March 14 against UNI at Cooper Stadium. The Panthers come to Evansville for a 3-game set and are following up a 28-win campaign in 2019.
Drake is up next on March 21-22. The defending Valley champions were 43-16 in 2019 and won 24 out of 26 games in the league.   The home stretch is completed on March 24 against Austin Peay.
Three road MVC weekends follow with the Aces heading to Illinois State (March 28-29), Loyola (April 4-5) and Valparaiso (April 10-11). A doubleheader at Indiana State on April 15 completes the trip. UE returns home for three games against Missouri State on April 18-19. Indiana State makes the return trip to Evansville for a single game on April 21.
Bradley will mark the final road trip of the regular season. The Aces and Braves meet up in Peoria on April 25-26. Evansville matches up against Western Kentucky on Tuesday, April 28. The Hilltoppers had a strong 37-win campaign in 2019. In the regular-season home finale, UE plays host to Southern Illinois on May 3-4. The Salukis earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament last season.
