FLORENCE, Ala. (November 14, 2023) – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced the league's 2024 softball schedule on Tuesday afternoon. In coordination with this announcement, the University of North Alabama also revealed its non-conference tournament dates and locations.
 
The softball schedule includes five early season tournaments, including the UNA Tournament in Florence, and also includes 18 home games throughout the season. UNA plays its home games at the newly-renovated Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium at Cox Creek Park off Chisholm Road.
 
"I am very excited about our schedule this year," said UNA head coach Ashley Cozart, who enters her 11th season. "It will be one of the most challenging, but one of the most exciting and will prepare us well for ASUN play. We have four strong tournaments to lead us off this year. Starting off at Troy and then we will play in the Chattanooga, UAB and MTSU tournaments. Also, we will host our own tournament with some great teams right here in Florence."
 
Last season, the Lions hosted the No. 13 University of Alabama Crimson Tide at the Florence Sportsplex in front of over 4,000 fans. The Lions will make a return trip to Tuscaloosa this season.
 
"A big date to highlight in between these tournaments is February 21 at Alabama," Cozart added. "Our opening conference weekend will be against Lipscomb, who we will host for the first time since joining the ASUN. I am looking forward to hitting the field with our new team, who has worked extremely hard this fall!"
 
The Lions open the season in Troy, Ala. for the Troy Tournament on Feb. 9-11. The following weekend, UNA heads across state lines to play in the Chattanooga Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Feb. 16-18.
 
After that, the Lions make the trip to Alabama on Feb. 21. UNA remains in-state that same week play in the UAB Tournament on Feb. 23-25, then heads to Middle Tennessee State for the final road tournament on March 2-3.
 
The UNA Tournament will be the final non-conference tournament of the season, which is set to run the weekend of March 8-10 in Florence.
 
Opponents for all five tournaments will be announced at a later date.
 
The ASUN portion of the schedule opens March 16-17 as the Lions welcome Lipscomb to the Shoals for a three-game set. After that, a long stretch of home games ends on March 20 with a midweek battle against Tennessee State.
 
The Lions make a return trip to Tennessee State on April 10 in Nashville. The final non-conference midweek contest will be at UT Martin, set for April 24 at 5:30 p.m.
 
The rest of the ASUN schedule includes road trips to Queens (March 23-24), EKU (March 30-31), Central Arkansas (April 13-14) and Bellarmine (April 27-28). UNA will host Lipscomb, Florida Gulf Coast (April 6-7), Kennesaw State (April 20-21) and Austin Peay (April May 3-4). The Austin Peay series will serve as the regular season finale.
 
The ASUN Conference Championship is set to run from May 7-11 in Oxford, Ala. At Choccolocco Park. Eight teams will make the tournament, as the Lions look to make another run to the championship final like they did in 2023.
 
To view the 2024 schedule, click here.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.