CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team has announced its schedule, chock-full of high caliber games against some of the best teams in the nation, along with the fifth season in the ASUN Conference.
 
The schedule opens with a pair of road tournaments, with the season starting on February 6^th at Sam Houston's tournament. The Bears follow that up with Troy's tournament before hosting the first game of the season at Natalie Shock Stadium against Northern Iowa on February 18^th.
 
The Bears host their first tournament of the spring from February 20^th-22^nd, bringing in Southeastern Louisiana, Evansville and Saint Louis for a weekend full of action. The second tournament is from March 6^th-8^th, with UT Chattanooga and UL Monroe visiting Conway for a few days.
 
Central Arkansas will play five games against the SEC this year, starting with a February 25^th matchup at Ole Miss. The annual meetings with the Arkansas Razorbacks are scheduled for March 17^th in Conway, followed by the game in Fayetteville on March 24^th. Ole Miss returns for a home game at Shock Stadium on April 1^st, and LSU will host the Bears on April 7^th.
 
ASUN play begins on March 14^th, with Central Arkansas heading out to North Alabama for the first of eight conference series. The Bears are at home for four of the eight, hosting Austin Peay (March 27^th-29^th), Eastern Kentucky (April 3^rd-4^th), North Alabama (April 25^th-26^th) and Lipscomb (April 30^th-May 1^st). The Bears will make road trips to the four during late March and April as well.
 
Senior Day will be during the Lipscomb series, rounding out the regular season before the ASUN Championship, which takes place from May 4^th-9^th. The schedule as a whole provides the Bears with a plethora of high-quality opponents to test the mettle of first year head coach Kayla Lucas's squad, with a high ceiling for a potential at large bid to the NCAA Tournament in May.