2017 Norfolk State Softball Schedule

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball program released its 2017 schedule today, highlighted by an early season home tournament in addition to 11 other contests this year in Norfolk.
 
The Spartans will host their usual three MEAC teams this season as well as North Carolina A&T for a non-conference doubleheader. NSU also begins its campaign this year by holding the Spartan Classic in late February.
 
In a reversal of last year's schedule, the Spartans welcome Delaware State, Maryland Eastern Shore and Howard to town while traveling to Coppin State, Morgan State and Hampton in MEAC Northern Division action.
 
After getting held back by inclement weather in years past, the softball program is getting ready to host the Spartan Classic for the first time in three years. It will take place Feb. 25-26 at the NSU Softball Field and will include Buffalo and Hartford. Each team will play the other two on both days. Buffalo and Hartford face each other first both days, while NSU takes on Hartford at 12:30 p.m. and Buffalo at 3 p.m. on Feb. 25.
 
The following day, the Spartans play in reverse order, taking on Buffalo at noon followed by Hartford at 2:30 p.m. to close out the tournament. Buffalo and Hartford will play each other at 10 a.m. on the 25^th and 9:30 a.m. on the 26^th.
 
Norfolk State also competes in two other tournaments in March, including one at Campbell on March 3 and 4 that finds NSU playing Appalachian State twice and Rider and host Campbell once each. In addition, the Spartans will compete at a tournament at Elon on March 11-12, playing the host Phoenix twice and Fairleigh Dickinson and Presbyterian once each.
 
In between those two tournaments, the Spartans also host North Carolina A&T on March 9 for a doubleheader at the NSU Softball Field beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Following the Elon tournament, NSU travels to North Carolina Central for a non-conference doubleheader on March 14 before diving into MEAC play. The Spartans will take on their first official conference foe on March 18-19 at Coppin State.
 
NSU returns home to host Delaware State March 25-26 before playing a doubleheader at Radford on March 29. The Spartans then stay in Norfolk for the second weekend in a row when Maryland Eastern Shore comes to town on April 1-2. All conference weekends this year, both home and away, include a doubleheader on the first day beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a single game the second day at noon.
 
Following the matchup with the Hawks of MDES, NSU makes two trips to Baltimore. The first takes place April 8-9 with a three-game series at Morgan State. Then on April 11, NSU returns to the area to play Towson in a doubleheader, the last non-conference games of the year for the Spartans.
 
The last two MEAC weekends find NSU hosting Howard on April 14-15 during the Friday and Saturday of Easter weekend and then competing at Hampton two weeks later on April 29-30. This year's MEAC Championship will be held from May 11-13 at its normal spot in Ormond Beach, Fla.