MADISON, Ala. (February 20, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team is off to its best start since winning a national championship in 2016 and will put that hot start on the line against a challenging slate at the Rocket City Softball Showcase in the Huntsville area this weekend.
 
The Lions will play three SEC teams at Toyota Field in Madison, Ala. — home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas — including Ole Miss on Friday and Auburn and Mississippi State on Saturday. The Lions will also play ETSU on Friday at Huntsville High School.
 
UNA was originally scheduled to play Jacksonville State on Sunday, but the game has been canceled due to weather issues that forced event officials to reduce the schedule.
 
Entering Friday, UNA is one of 10 teams in the NCAA that remain undefeated through nine or more games. The other nine are Power 4 programs, seven SEC programs and two from the ACC. Auburn is one of the 10, who UNA will play Saturday morning.
 
All games will have live stats. The games at Toyota Field will be streamed by FloCollege with a subscription. Tickets are also available for the Toyota Field games here.
 
GAME 1
North Alabama vs. Ole Miss
Friday, February 21, 2025
11:30 AM
Toyota Field — Madison, Ala.
Watch | Stats
 
GAME 2
North Alabama vs. ETSU
Friday, February 21, 2025
2:00 PM
Huntsville High School — Huntsville, Ala.
Stats
GAME 3
North Alabama vs. Auburn
Saturday, February 22, 2025
10:00 AM
Toyota Field — Madison, Ala.
Watch | Stats
 
GAME 4
North Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Saturday, February 22, 2025
5:30 PM
Toyota Field — Madison, Ala.
Watch | Stats


NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: UNA went 4-0 at the Chattanooga Challenge last weekend, knocking off the defending Southern Conference Champion, Chattanooga, and rising Division I program Lindenwood in a pair of doubleheaders in Chattanooga, Tenn. UNA won the four games by a combined score of 31-4, including a pair of shutouts on Saturday. UNA also won both games against Lindenwood by mercy rule.
 
AMONG THE BEST: North Alabama is the only mid-major program with a perfect record through at least nine games, joining an elite group of 10 schools that are unbeaten over nine or more games entering the weekend. The others include Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse and Texas.
 
BEST START SINCE…: The last time UNA started this hot was the 2016 season, where the Lions started 10-0, finished 60-7 and won the NCAA Division II National Championship under head coach Ashley Cozart. UNA is currently outscoring opponents 69-14 this season.
 
TRIPLE TROUBLE: North Alabama currently leads the nation with nine triples over nine games to average at least one per game. Nobody else in the NCAA can claim the same rate so far. Individually, sophomore shortstop Briley Dover is one of just six NCAA players with three or more triples.
 
PITCHING PHENOMS: The Lions have been bolstered in the circle by three former Wallace State aces — senior Alivia Wilken and junior twin sisters Emily Simon and Katie Simon. The Lions lead the Atlantic Sun Conference and rank ninth in the nation with a 1.33 ERA. The staff also ranks 11th in the nation with four shutouts in nine games.
 
ALL PHASES: Last year, UNA finished the regular season as the only ASUN school ranked in the top three of the league in batting average, ERA and fielding percentage. This season, UNA currently ranks first in ERA (1.33), second in batting average (.324) and third in fielding (.976).
 
SCOUTING OLE MISS: The Rebels are off to an 8-3 start, opening the season with a 3-2 win over No. 25 Clemson at the Paradise Classic in Boca Raton, Fla. The Rebels also won four of five at the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational with wins over Sam Houston, Central Arkansas, Northern Illinois and Louisiana. True freshman Miali Guachino has a 1.01 ERA over 34.2 innings with an impressive 58 strikeouts, including a school-record 19 against Southern Miss in extra innings. Senior two-way player Aliyah Binford, a transfer from Baylor and 2024 NFCA Comeback Player of the Year, is batting .457 with five doubles, three triples and 12 RBIs.
 
SCOUTING ETSU: The Buccaneers are off to a 3-5 start, winning two of three last week at the Pinnacle PC Invitational with a pair of wins over Maine. The Bucs are led by first team all-conference selection Cameron Young, a senior infielder. Young is batting .542 with 13 hits, two doubles, six runs and five RBIs. Senior two-way player Sara Muir is another player to watch with a 3.75 ERA in the circle and and .364 average at the plate with a team-high eight RBIs.
 
SCOUTING AUBURN: The Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the NFCA Coaches Poll with a perfect 11-0 record. Auburn hosted the Tiger Invitational with wins over Southern Illinois, North Carolina and Appalachian State, then won six at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational in Florida with wins over Clemson, Virginia, UCF, Charlotte, No. 9 Oklahoma State and Liberty. Sophomore SJ Geurin has a 6-0 record and a 1.45 ERA over 38.2 innings. Senior Icess Tresvik leads the offense with a .471 batting average with six homers and 16 RBIs.
 
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE: The Bulldogs are 10-1 this season, riding a nine-game win streak into the Rocket City. MSU defeated No. 13 Texas Tech in extra innings to open the season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. After a loss to No. 7 Duke, the Bulldogs have rattled off wins over the likes of No. 19 Nebraska, Penn State, Georgia Tech and Samford, among others. Senior Raelin Chaffin leads the staff with a 1.29 ERA over 32.2 innings, while two-way player Lexi Sosa is batting .357 with four homers and 15 RBI while sporting a 3.60 ERA in 11.2 innings.
 
SERIES HISTORY: UNA will hunt its first all-time win against all four opponents. Auburn and ETSU will be first time meetings, while the Lions are 0-2 against the Rebels and 0-5 against the Bulldogs.

ON DECK: The Lions will host Memphis for their 2025 home opener at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. This will begin a 10-game homestand that spans until Sunday, March 9.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.