PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College softball team announced its 2020 schedule on Thursday, Dec. 12. The Friars will play 52 games during the 2020 season, including four tournaments, 21 BIG EAST Conference games and 17 home games.
The Friars finished last season with a 30-22 overall record with an 11-9 conference mark. The team's 30 wins were the most for the program since the 2005 season. Providence made its first BIG EAST Championship appearance since the 2013 season.
Providence will begin its season at Sam Houston State in Houston, Texas from Feb. 14-16 for the 2020 Bearkat Classic. The Friars will match up against Houston Baptist and Sam Houston State for two games each before wrapping up the tournament against George Mason. Sam Houston State reached the Austin Regional in the NCAA Tournament last season after defeating Nicholls State in the Southland Conference Championship. The Bearkats finished the season with a 35-23 record.
The Friars will then travel to Madeira Beach, Fla. to play in The Spring Games from Feb. 21-23. Providence will play five games against Columbia, Albany, South Dakota, Stony Brook and Merrimack.
Before spring break, Providence will participate in the 2020 Clearwater Spring Break Invitational from March 6-8. The Friars will compete against Bowling Green, Florida A&M, Western Michigan, Robert Morris and Yale.
Prior to the Friars' second appearance in the 2020 Clearwater Spring Break Invitational they will face Cleveland State and Ohio University on March 10.
Providence will finalize play in Florida when they play Penn State, Army, UT-Chattanooga, Winthrop and Army in their second time competing in the Clearwater Invitational. UT-Chattanooga defeated UNCG in the Southern Conference Tournament last season to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Mocs were eliminated in two games, falling to No. 11 Ole Miss and Southeast Missouri State.
The Friars will play Bryant (March 18), Sacred Heart (March 24) in a doubleheader, Rhode Island (March 31), Merrimack (April 7), Harvard (April 14), Brown (April 15), Boston College (April 22) and Central Connecticut State (April 28) as their non-conference games to wrap up the season.
Providence will welcome St. John's (March 20-22), Villanova (April 3-5), Georgetown (April 9-11) and DePaul (May 1-3) to Glay Field for its home BIG EAST opponents. St. John's won the BIG EAST regular season title last season after finishing 14-4 in conference play. DePaul prevailed in the BIG EAST Tournament, defeating Villanova in the championship game, 11-10.
The Friars will travel to Creighton (March 27-29), Butler (April 17-19) and Seton Hall (April 24-26) for their away BIG EAST games.
The BIG EAST Championships will be held from May 7-9.
-GO FRIARS-