LAKE CHARLES — The McNeese softball team has released its schedule for the 2023 season.
The slate of games features plenty of challenges with games against SEC and Pac-12 opponents, as well as facing off against seven teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including Women’s College World Series participant Texas.
That type of challening slate is exactly what McNeese seventh-year coach James Landreneau wants.
“The schedule is always a challenging schedule,” Landreneau said. “We like to play a schedule that puts our kids in a tough situation and allows them to compete against elite talent. When you play against elite talent, you have to play at a high level and it’s a great opportunity to see where we stand against these types of teams.”
McNeese will open its season with the first of its two home tournaments as the team will welcome Central Arkansas, UAB, Idaho State, and Texas Southern for the Cowgirl Classic I (Feb. 10-12).
A week later, the Cowgirls will take part in the North Texas Tournament where they will face Kentucky, South Dakota, UT-Arlington, and North Texas.
McNeese will remain home for the rest of February, hosting Washington (Feb. 20), South Alabama (Feb. 21), and its second home tournament (Cowgirl Classic II) Feb. 24-26.
Other non-conference home games include Grambling (Mar. 1), Houston (Mar. 15), Louisiana (Apr. 4), LSU (Apr. 18), and UT-Arlington (Apr. 19).
McNeese will travel to Louisiana, UL-Monroe, LSU, Sam Houston, and Houston for non-conference road games.
The Southland Conference opener is on the road against Incarnate Word (March 17-18), and the home-opening conference series will be against Texas A&M-Commerce (March 24-25).