NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team opens the 2026 season this weekend, hosting Rider and Central Connecticut State for the Spartan Clash Softball Tournament at the NSU Softball Field.

Under first-year head coach Tatjana Matthews, the Spartans look to build on a strong 2025 campaign that saw Norfolk State finish second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings with a 14-7 conference record. The Spartans earned seven postseason honors last season and return All-MEAC selections Maya Johnson, Qween Edmonds, and Kailey Bryant, along with third-team honoree Amaya McPherson.

Norfolk State's 2026 slate features 42 contests, including 29 games at the NSU Softball Field. The Spartans will open the season with a 21-game homestand, highlighted by 11 neutral-site games played on campus. MEAC play includes seven three-game series against the league's other member institutions, with conference action beginning March 14 against Delaware State.

The Spartans officially open the season at home on Friday, Feb. 13, welcoming Rider and Central Connecticut State to campus. Norfolk State will face Rider at 1 p.m., followed by a matchup with Central Connecticut State at 3 p.m. Tournament play continues Saturday, Feb. 14, with rematches against Rider at 2 p.m. and Central Connecticut State at 4 p.m.

Norfolk State will meet Rider Broncos softball for the 11th time in program history on Friday afternoon. Rider holds a 6-4 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last met during the 2022 season, when the Broncos claimed a pair of victories, 7-1 and 13-3.

The Spartans will also face the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils softball for the 12th time in program history. CCSU leads the series 9-2 and enters the weekend riding a two-game winning streak against Norfolk State. The teams last met during the 2024 season, when the Blue Devils earned 4-1 and 5-1 wins in a March 1 doubleheader.