Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Softball Announces 2020 Schedule
1/27/2020 2:10:00 PM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell softball has announced its 2020 spring schedule. The Bison are looking to build upon a strong 2019 season in which they finished 14-3 in the Patriot League and secured a No. 2 seed in the Patriot League tournament. Bucknell returns key pieces from last year's roster, including four All-Patriot League players and 2019 Rookie of the Year selection Allyse Volpe.
Bucknell will begin the season with 2019 Coach of the Year Joey Lye absent as she competes with Team Canada in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 2020 schedule features a mix of strong programs and nationally recognized Power Five competition, as well as the standard 18 league games played out in three-game series.
"I'm excited to see how our team responds to this season's East Coast tour," said Lye. "The challenge of playing certain opponents multiple times arrives early on in the season and will serve as a solid test for our team, as we must do so throughout our conference schedule."
Bucknell kicks off the new season on Feb. 7 with a four-game weekend in Spartansburg, S.C. that pits the Bison against Towson in the season opener. On Feb. 8, Bucknell takes on Saint Francis in the first of five meetings between the Bison and the defending NEC champions.
Bucknell will spend Feb. 14-16 in Buies, N.C. for games against Campbell, Mount St. Mary's, and Howard.
Staying in North Carolina, the Bison go up against ACC and Big Ten competition in NC State and Indiana to close out the month of February. Both of those programs finished with over 30 wins in 2019.
Bucknell will see the Marshall Herd for a second and third time when attending a four-game invitational in Huntington, W.Va. on March 7 and 8. Bucknell also faces Rutgers twice that weekend.
The Bison face their second ACC team of the season when they play a doubleheader against Virginia in Charlottesville on Tuesday, March 10. It will also be the first mid-week action of the season for Bucknell.
After playing a March 11 doubleheader at George Washington, Bucknell faces Elon and Maine in North Carolina before jumping into its first Patriot League contest with a road series at Lafayette on March 21.
The Bison sprinkle in doubleheaders against St. Bonaventure, Mount St. Mary's, Saint Francis, Binghamton, and Coppin State, as well as an April 8 game against Penn State between its conference series throughout the months of March and April. The St. Bonaventure doubleheader on March 25 will be Bucknell's first home action of the season.
The Army, Holy Cross, and Lehigh series will all be played in Lewisburg at Becker Field. Bucknell challenges defending Patriot League champion Boston on the road April 25 and 26, and the season wraps up at home when Bucknell hosts the Mountain Hawks on May 2 and 3.
"Being prepared out of the gate while maintaining a pitch-by-pitch mentality throughout doubleheaders, full weekends, and from one weekend to the next will be a key to success for this squad," said Lye.
This season's Patriot League tournament plays out May 7-9 and will be hosted by the No. 1 seeded team. Further information on the 2020 team and schedule will be included in next week's season preview.
