Softball | 10/28/2014 11:00:00 AM

Hempstead, N.Y. – Matchups against nine NCAA Tournament qualifiers, including six conference champions and two Women's College World Series participants, highlight a challenging 2015 Hofstra Softball schedule that Head Coach Larissa Anderson released today.

Hofstra will face four teams that finished last season ranked in the final NFCA national top-25 poll. In all, the Pride will oppose six teams that won at least 40 games.

"I'm excited to see our team travel to some great venues against quality opponents and have an opportunity to play in front of energetic crowds on the road early in the season," Anderson said. "It's important that our players experience a regional atmosphere right away. Playing some top national powers will prepare us for our always-challenging conference schedule." 

The Pride will oppose two NCAA Regional finalists in the opening five-game tournament at the LSU Invitational. Opening Day will come on Feb. 13 with matchups against Central Arkansas and LSU. Hofstra and the Tigers split a doubleheader in Hempstead last season. LSU was 38-24 and fell one game shy of reaching the Super Regionals with a loss to No. 10 Arizona. Hofstra will play both teams again the next day before ending the tournament on Feb. 15 against a Notre Dame team that was ranked 22nd and won 41 games in 2014.

Louisiana-Lafayette will host the next tournament Hofstra will participate in, as the Pride will face Iowa on Feb. 20 before taking on a Ragin Cajuns squad that was 49-10. The Sun Belt champions went to the WCWS and earned an eighth-ranking in the last poll. The Pride will face both teams the next day and end the tournament on Feb. 22 against McNeese State.

A road trip through the Sooner State will put Hofstra in a doubleheader at Oklahoma State on Feb. 28. Following two games in Stillwater, Hofstra will travel back to Norman, the site of the Pride's appearance in last season's NCAA Tournament, to face the Sooners in a doubleheader on March 1 starting at 10 a.m. Oklahoma State is coming off a Big 12 title. Though the two teams did not play in the regional, Hofstra will face a squad that went 51-13.

A five-game tournament will keep Hofstra on the road but much closer to campus as the Pride plays St. John's, Fairleigh Dickinson, Hampton and Mount St. Mary's in the St. John's Invitational from March 13-15.

Hofstra will finally have its home opener on March 18 with a doubleheader versus Ivy League champion Dartmouth starting at 3 p.m. The Pride will then commence Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game set at UNCW from March 21-22.

Another NCAA Regional qualifier will await Hofstra at home with the Pride hosting Northwestern on March 24. The Wildcats made it to the regional finals and ended the season receiving votes after falling to No. 8 Washington. The Pride will then host Rutgers in a doubleheader on March 25 before Hofstra hosts Towson in a CAA home-opening three-game set from March 28-29.

April will start with back-to-back series against defending conference champions. MAAC-champion Iona will travel to Hofstra Softball Stadium for a doubleheader on April 1. The Pride will then host defending-CAA title-winner JMU in a three-game set starting with a Friday doubleheader on April 3 and the finale the next day.

A road doubleheader at Lehigh on April 8 will serve as a tune-up for a three-game road CAA series at Drexel from April 11-12. First-year CAA-member Elon will play Hofstra for the first time as a conference foe with a three-game home series for the Pride from April 18-19.

Back-to-back midweek non-league home games against two challenging opponents will be up next as Syracuse comes to Hempstead for a doubleheader on April 21 followed by a single game versus Fordham the next day. The Rams are the Atlantic 10 champions.

The Pride will host Delaware in a three-game home series April 25-26 before a road game at Seton Hall on April 28 concludes the non-conference portion of the schedule. Hofstra will then play the College of Charleston in a three-game road series May 1-2 to conclude the regular season.

The CAA Tournament will take place May 6-8 with the highest seed hosting.