JACKSONVILLE – North Florida softball announces its schedule for the program’s 30th season with 24 home games.

The Ospreys will travel for just 12 games and plays the entire regular season schedule in the state of Florida. North Florida takes on two Power Five teams and hosts two tournaments this season.

“After having our 2020 season cut short, we are really looking forward to getting back on the field to play outside competition,” said head coach Marcie Higgs. “This year will definitely be a little different with all of the precautions we are taking, but we were still able to put together a very competitive schedule and are excited to play a lot of games on our home field.”

SEASON OPENER

The Ospreys open the 2021 season with a home tournament Feb. 12-14. North Florida hosts Illinois State and Power Five team Boston College in the home opener. It will be the first meeting against BC and just the second versus the Redbirds.

OF NOTE

North Florida hosts Florida for the first time on February 24. UNF and the Gators have faced off nine times, but they have all been in Gainesville. Florida owns a 9-0 series lead.

TOURNAMENT PLAY

UNF begins March with its second tournament of the season March 5-7. The Ospreys co-host the March tournament with crosstown rival Jacksonville. Maine, USC Upstate, Florida A&M, Georgia State and Buffalo travel to Jacksonville for the tournament. The full schedule is slated to be released soon.

ASUN PLAY

This season, the ASUN will move to divisional play with the Ospreys joining Jacksonville, FGCU and Stetson in the south division. The teams will face off in three-game weekends for home and home series and then face off with Liberty and North Alabama on two other dates.

North Florida begins league play at home, hosting Jacksonville (March 13-14) for the first meeting of the River City Rumble series. The teams then face off again at JU on April 10-11. After a doubleheader at home with UCF March 17, the Ospreys end March on the road with three games at FGCU (March 20-21) and three games at Stetson (March 27-28).

The Ospreys play host to FGCU on April 2-3. With a quick trip to UCF slated for April 14, UNF then hosts Liberty, Stetson (April 24-25) and North Alabama the first weekend in May.

Kennesaw State hosts the 2021 ASUN Championship May 14-16.

GETTING TO KNOW UNF

The Ospreys’ roster features 15 returners and eight newcomers.
Coach Marcie Higgs earned her 400th career win against Alabama A&M, 10-2 in six last season. The squad posted a 12-6 record and an 8-2 mark at home including closing out the season with six straight wins before the season was cut.
North Florida defeated No. 19 Virginia Tech 3-2 and then followed up with a 7-6 win against Purdue in nine innings.
Rebecca Koskey ranked 41st in the NCAA with a .451 average and was 48th in the country with a .533 on-base percentage and 63rd in slugging (.784). She also led the team with 16 RBI.
Sophomore hurler Morgan Clausen tossed the program’s first Division I perfect game in nine innings against Stony Brook. It was the first in the ASUN since 2002.
Freshman Shannon Glover ranked 61st in the NCAA and fourth in the ASUN with a .436 average plus had a .511 on-base percentage to rank third in the conference