HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team has announced its 2018 schedule. The Fords return eight starters from last spring and are excited to welcome six incoming first year players into the program. The Fords are looking for the pattern of even year success to continue as they won Centennial Conference Championships during the 2014 and 2016 seasons, in addition to their first-ever title in 2006.
The Fords' 2018 schedule features six home doubleheaders, a tentative 10 game schedule in Florida, along with many familiar regional opponents through the spring. The 2018 season will be the first at the helm for newly-appointed head coach Kate Poppe.
After winning conference titles in 2014 and 2016, Haverford went on to make the NCAA Regional Championship game that same season. That success was highlighted by the team's first ever regional title in 2016 when the team came up just one game short of the NCAA Division III Women's College World Series. Five of the Fords' returning starters were also starters on that record-breaking team.
Schedule notes:
- ROWAN (Saturday, March 03): Profs went to NCAA Regionals in 2017 … Teams have met every year since 2005 with the exception of rain out in 2015 … Rowan leads all-time series 21-2.
- at Arcadia (Tuesday, March 06): Are meeting for doubleheader for 10th straight season … Haverford has won seven straight games and is 13-7 all-time against the Knights.
- at Alvernia (Tuesday, March 20): Meeting for third time in four seasons … Fords 3-0-1 all-time against the newly-renamed Golden Wolves.
- at Widener (Thursday, March 22): NCAA Regional finalist in 2017 … Cancelation last year marked the first time these teams did not meet since 1998 … Widener leads all-time series 25-11 and swept the 2016 doubleheader.
- at Dickinson* (Saturday, March 24): Red Devils lead all-time series 27-19, with teams evenly splitting the first 20 road games … Dickinson has won the last three games to snap Haverford's eight-game winning streak in the series.
- at Muhlenberg* (Tuesday, March 27): Mules lead all-time series 30-19 (11-10 at Muhlenberg) which features five playoff games, including Haverford's 2014 championship win … Teams have split the series in two of the past three seasons.
- FRANKLIN & MARSHALL* (Saturday, March 31): Diplomats are the defending Centennial Conference Champions … F&M leads all-time series 28-16 (12-10 at Haverford) … Teams have split the series in two of the past three seasons.
- SWARTHMORE* (Tuesday, April 3): Fords lead all-time series 26-20 (11-11 at home) … Haverford has swept the doubleheader in each of the past five seasons.
- at Immaculata (Thursday, April 5): Have met just once prior in program history with Haverford sweeping home doubleheader in 2016.
- at Gettysburg* (Saturday, April 7): Centennial Conference playoff team in 2017 … Bullets lead all-time series 31-14 (16-4 at Gettysburg) … Teams met in playoffs during both the 2015 and 2016 seasons with Fords beating Gettysburg in an elimination game during championship run.
- EASTERN (Thursday, April 12): Haverford leads all-time series 13-8-1 (8-5 at home) … Teams meeting for 11th doubleheader in 13 seasons … Fords have won the last six games, dating back to split in 2013.
- URSINUS* (Tuesday, April 17): Bears lead all-time series 32-15 (19-6 at Ursinus) … Split the series in 2017 to break Haverford's seven game-winning streak over Ursinus.
- WASHINGTON COLLEGE* (Saturday, April 21): Centennial Conference playoff team in 2017 … Shorewomen lead all-time series 33-17 (15-5 at Haverford) … Teams have met six times in Centennial Conference Tournament with Haverford beating WAC in back-to-back games to clinch 2016 championship … Will serve as team's Senior Day.
- at Lebanon Valley (Tuesday, April 24): Doubleheader sweep by LVC in 2017 was first-ever meeting between programs.
- at McDaniel* (Saturday, April 28): Green Terror lead all-time series 30-17 (15-7 at McDaniel) … Green Terror swept last season after Fords took two of three, including elimination game win in CC Tournament, during 2016.
Tentative Spring Break Schedule (Sunkissed Games; Kissimmee, Florida)
- vs. Skidmore (Sunday, March 11): Teams have never met.
- vs. Rowan (Sunday, March 11): Teams are scheduled to play March 3 doubleheader before meeting in Florida.
- vs. Marietta (Monday, March 12): Marietta won both games when these teams met during 1999 and 2000 seasons in Florida.
- vs. Beloit (Monday, March 12): Beloit won only meeting in program history during 2004 season.
- vs. St. Norbert (Tuesday, March 13): Teams have never meet.
- vs. Salve Regina (Tuesday, March 13): Fords won 6-3 in 2014 and 7-4 in 2015 when the teams met in Florida for the only previous meetings.
- vs. Susquehanna (Thursday, March 15): Teams have never met.
- vs. Wheaton (Mass.) (Thursday, March 15): Haverford 2-0 all time with wins in 2001 (W, 11-3) and 2014 (W, 2-1).
- vs. TCNJ (Friday, March 16): TCNJ leads 9-4 in all-time series … Fords won last meeting during 2013 season when they played in Florida.
- vs. Eastern Connecticut State (Friday, March 16): Teams have never met.