Softball

By Ashley Bryant
Special to howard-bison.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Lady Bison held the top seed in last year's MEAC Softball Championship, but were unable to bring home the prized conference win. However with a strong lineup of returning players, transfer students, talented freshmen as well as a new coach, this year's team may have the gusto to bring their goals and vision-setting to fruition.
 
"We as a team have the goal to win a MEAC Championship. Our ultimate vision is to win a NCAA National Championship. We complete all of our small goals everyday and I believe that this consistent hard work will result in achieving what we set out to do," said Coach McCoy, who believes the team has the potential for national recognition. "Superior focus and unwavering dedication to the goals they set are going to be the difference between this season and every other season before it."

For Coach McCoy, the team's preparation for the MEAC's began the day of their first team meeting. "Lady Bison wake up everyday and say to themselves ‘We are national champions,'" said McCoy.  "We aim high, but we work extremely hard to achieve our goals and eventually our vision-conditioning workouts, individual workouts, team practices, and extra practices to solve any mechanical problems. Each player has a role on the team, an important role, even when they aren't on the field. The players know their role and how important it is for them to perform in order for us to win."

 
The Lady Bison kick-off the 2010 softball season Feb. 20 with a road trip to North Carolina, matching up against Winston-Salem State University. And for most of the season, the ladies hit the road to square-up against their opponents.

The Bison head to Atlanta to face Georgia State March 4 and Western Kentucky, Seton Hall and Winthrop, and a slate of other competitors at the Georgia Tech Buzz Tournament March 5 to March 7.
 
After matches in Georgia, the ladies return closer to home for a series of games and tournaments: The ladies face the Terps March 10 and St. Bonaventure, Binghamton and Norfolk State at the Spartan Classic in Norfolk, Virginia March 13-March 14. Howard heads to Baltimore to face UMBC March 17 and travel back to Virginia March 24 to match up against George Mason University.
 
The ladies continue their season on the road as they head to Dover, Delaware for the Hornet Clash Tournament (March 27-28) where they will battle Colgate, UNC Charlotte, Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State. The team's first set of conference matchups will be against the Hornets on April 2 and April 3.

The Bison head to Farmville, Virginia to face Longwood on April 6. For the only home games of the season, the Bison welcome Coppin State April 10-11 and Hampton April 17-18.  The team takes a short trip to challenge Georgetown on April 21, and then travels to Baltimore for back-to-back games against Morgan State May 1 and May 2.
 
For the last non-conference matchup of the season, the Bison travel to Charleston, South Carolina May 6-7 to compete against Charleston Southern.

The ladies battle UMES in Hawk territory May 8-9 in their last conference games of the season before heading to Ormond Beach, Florida May 13 to May 15 for the MEAC Championships.