Saturday, Feb. 11 vs. Bowling Green, 1 p.m. | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 11 at Robert Morris, 6 p.m. | Live Stats 
Sunday, Feb. 12 at Cleveland State, 10:30 a.m. | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 12 vs. Robert Morris, 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats

The Niagara softball team opens its 2017 regular-season slate on Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. The Purple Eagles are coming off of a 2016 season where the team contended for a top-six spot and a berth in the MAAC Softball Championship, but ended the regular season in eighth place with an 8-12 record in conference play.
 
At the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Niagara will begin with games against Bowling Green (1 p.m.) and Robert Morris (6 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 10. The next day, the Purple Eagles will take on the host Cleveland State Vikings at 10:30 a.m. before a rematch with Robert Morris at 3:30 p.m. Live stats are available for each game at the links above.
 
2016 Season in Review

• Niagara closed the 2016 regular season at 8-12 in MAAC play (10-38 overall), falling just short of a berth in their 11th all-time MAAC Championship appearance and first since 2013.
• The Purple Eagles return both of their major award winners from a season ago. Senior shortstop Chanelle Ward was named to the 2016 All-MAAC Second Team after batting a career-best .350 at the plate. Ward was sixth in the MAAC with a .417 batting average (25-for-60) in conference play. She added a .374 slugging percentage, .382 on-base percentage, 12 RBIs, and 12 runs scored.
• Niagara will be led in the circle by sophomore pitcher Sierra Bertrand, who earned MAAC All-Rookie accolades a season ago. Bertrand, who was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 16 and MAAC Rookie of the Week on May 3, finished second among all MAAC pitchers with 6.6 strikeouts per seven innings, and her 96 total strikeouts and .245 opposing batting average ranked fifth in the conference.
• As a freshman, Bertrand also led Niagara pitchers in ERA (2.97), wins (six), innings pitched (101.1), and hits allowed (99).
• The Purple Eagles return all eight of their top batters from the 2016 campaign and 15 of 19 players overall.

 
2017 Schedule

• Following the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, Niagara returns to game action March 6-12 with a series of seven games in Florida. The Purple Eagles will play doubleheaders against St. Bonaventure and Bucknell, along with single games against South Dakota State, Western Michigan, and Providence.
• The following weekend, Niagara will participate in the Buff & Blue Challenge at George Washington University, with three games against the host Colonials and two against the University at Albany.
• Niagara closes the month of March with road doubleheaders at Syracuse (March 22) and Cleveland State (March 30).
• The Purple Eagles' MAAC schedule begins with road doubleheaders at Iona and Fairfield on Apr. 1 and 2, respectively.
• Niagara then opens its home slate Apr. 5 against the Youngstown State Penguins, followed by home doubleheaders versus Saint Peter's (Apr. 8) and Manhattan (Apr. 9).
• Niagara closes its home schedule with doubleheaders lined up against Akron (Apr. 26), Quinnipiac (Apr. 29), Marist (Apr. 30), and Siena (May 6).

 
MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll

• Niagara was voted ninth in the 2017 Preseason Coaches' Poll with 42 points.
• Marist, Monmouth, Fairfield, Canisius, Manhattan, and Quinnipiac were voted as the preseason top six and favorites to advance to the MAAC Championships. Niagara went 4-8 against those teams last season, with wins over Canisius, Fairfield, Manhattan, and Monmouth.
• Just seven points separated seventh and ninth place, as Iona (49 points) finished seventh ahead of Siena (48) and Niagara (42).
• Rider was voted tenth with 24 points in the preseason poll, followed by Saint Peter's at 14 points.

 
Cleveland State Dome Tournament

• This is the third straight season that Niagara will be participating in the Cleveland State Dome Tournament.
• The Purple Eagles earned a 4-1 win over Bowling Green in last year's tournament, while dropping close decisions to Cleveland State (6-4) and Robert Morris (7-5).
• Bowling Green finished the 2016 season at 18-36 (6-17 MAC). Robert Morris went 10-6 in the NEC and 23-33 overall, while Cleveland State finished 21-32 overall and 12-12 in the Horizon League.
• Sarah March went 5-for-15 at the plate with two home runs and three RBIs in last season's Cleveland State Dome Tournament. Bridget Hogan, Taylor Moody, and Chanelle Ward all picked up six hits in the four-game tournament schedule.
• Jennifer Szilagyi tallied a team-high .500 batting average with a double and two RBIs in three games to earn MAAC Rookie of the Week honors.
• Sierra Bertrand led Niagara to its win over Bowling Green, giving up one run (zero earned) and six strikeouts while allowing seven hits, and she was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week for her performance in the victory.

 
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for softball updates, follow Niagara Softball on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.