Sparkill, N.Y. - Fresh off of the most successful season in the 43-year history of the program, St. Thomas Aquinas College's softball team will kick off its 2024 season on Feb. 2 with one of its most ambitious schedules ever.
“We want to keep the momentum going after last year’s memorable season,” said Head Coach Kristen Sullivan, who led her team to a 32-18 record. “We’ve rebuilt the program by recruiting quality players from across the country and seeking games against top teams. This will be the most exciting and challenging schedule that we’ve ever faced.”
The Spartans’ 2023 campaign was truly unforgettable. Enroute to a new school record for wins, STAC won its first East Coast Conference championship and recorded its first win in NCAA regional competition. Sullivan will apply her championship formula again for the 2024 season with a 58-game schedule that includes some of the top NCAA Division II teams in the nation along with a first-ever trip to South Carolina.
STAC will travel to Spartanburg, S.C, to compete in the Valkyrie Classic on February 2-4 before traveling to play eight games in its annual trip to The Spring Games in Winter Haven, Florida on March 7-12. Other non-league opponents include two teams that competed in the 2023 Division II World Series - East Stroudsburg (Pennsylvania) University and Wilmington (Delaware) University - along with perennial powers Adelphi University, Caldwell University and the University of Bridgeport. In total, the 2024 schedule will feature teams from 11 different states including Minnesota, Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, South Carolina and North Carolina.
“We had a very productive fall season to help us prepare for the 2024 season,” said Sullivan. “Our record of 84-52 over the last three seasons has helped build a winning culture. We have a lot of new and promising players to go with a strong foundation of returning starters. I’m very excited about the potential of this group.”
STAC, Molloy and Mercy are expected to compete for the conference title. The ECC playoffs are scheduled May 2-4.