DURHAM, N.C. – The defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion North Carolina Central University softball team will open its season with five games at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
The Eagles will be one of 17 teams competing in the tournament which kicks off the 2024 DI softball season. The showcase event features top programs throughout the country and NCCU will open its competition against a University of South Alabama program that won 39 games last year. The Eagles will also play ASUN champion University of Central Arkansas; NISC champion University of Iowa; PAC-12 champion and 2023 Women's College World Series participant No. 13 University of Utah; and fellow 2023 NCAA regional participant Indiana University.
NFCA official sponsor GameChanger will run video livestreams for all 43 contests (six fields), through the GameChanger app (free), which you can watch on your phone, tablet and desktop. Click on the Tournament Central link below for all team links and directions on how to watch. Three games from the NFCA Leadoff Classic will be televised live on the MLB Network (those three games will not involve NCCU).
EVENT INFO
Tournament Central
Purchase Tickets
Full Game Schedule (PDF)
Download GameChanger App
Live Stats Links on NCCU Schedule Page
GAME INFO
Friday, Feb. 9
10:00 AM – South Alabama vs. NC Central (Field 2);
Watch (GameChanger)
04:00 PM – NC Central vs. Central Arkansas (Field 1);
Watch (GameChanger)
Saturday, Feb. 10
04:00 PM – Iowa vs. NC Central (Field 3);
Watch (GameChanger)
07:00 PM – Utah vs. NC Central (Field 3);
Watch (GameChanger)
Sunday, Feb. 11
10:00 AM – NC Central vs. Indiana (Field 1);
Watch (GameChanger)
NC CENTRAL DUGOUT
The Eagles won their first MEAC Softball Championship title last season, punching their first ever ticket to the NCAA regionals. NC Central finished the season with a 19-35 overall record, including a 12-7 MEAC ledger.
NCCU returns 15 players from that title winning squad, including seven letter winners that were named to the 2024 Preseason All-MEAC Teams. Senior outfielder
Imara Harrell (Mooresville, N.C.), and sophomores first baseman
Takia Nichols (Hillsborough, N.C.) and shortstop
Makiya Graves (Mebane, N.C.) were all voted to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team while the senior trio of second baseman
Jaylah Barr (Batesburg-Leesville, S.C.), third baseman
Maegan Garrison (Harrisburg, N.C.) and outfielder
Ivory Jones (Douglasville, Ga.) joined junior pitcher/utility player
Jaden Davis (Knightdale, N.C.) on the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team. For more info on those players,
click here.
The other half of NCCU's veterans includes a trio of seniors in 2022 Third Team All-MEAC catcher
Hailey Batista (Mebane, N.C.),
D'Nahjah Harrell (Mooresville, N.C.) and
Natalie Hardin (Winston-Salem, N.C.). The Eagles have four other juniors that are all entering their third season with the maroon and gray, including 2023 MEAC All-Tournament pitcher
Ashanti Eubanks (Summerville, S.C.), outfielder
Jai'lyn Edwards (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), pitcher/utility player
Jaidyn Hamby (Fontana, Calif.) and outfielder
Kia Borum (Detroit, Mich.). Sophomore
Nyla Rodgers (Greenville, N.C.) rounds out NCCU's stellar returning rookie class from last season, complimenting Nichols and Graves.
Reigning MEAC Coach of the Year
Cat Tarvin, associate head coach
Jaimie Hoover, assistant coach
Kaitlyn Macon and volunteer assistant
Nate Russell all return to the dugout for NCCU and they have added a group of seven talented freshmen in infielder
Samaria Jackson (Highland Springs, Va.), infielder
Adriana Person (Virginia Beach, Va.), outfielder/utility player
Kendall Smith (Fuquay-Varina, N.C.), pitcher
Xenna Tompkins (Flowery Branch, Ga.), infielder
Cameron Frye (Raleigh, N.C.), outfielder
Tyler Suttles (Menifee, Calif.) and catcher
Wynter Williams (West Bloomfield, Mich.).
OPPONENTS BENCH
South Alabama (39-14, 20-4 Sun Belt)
Sun Belt Conference Preseason Awards;
Season Preview
Central Arkansas (45-12, 22-2 Atlantic Sun)
Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Awards;
Season Preview
Iowa (35-27, 10-13 Big 10)
Season Preview
Utah (42-16, 15-9 Pac-12)
Pac-12 Preseason Awards;
Season Preview
Indiana (44-18, 18-5 Big 10)
Season Preview
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
