FORT MYERS, Fla. – The ULM softball team (2-4) hits the road this weekend, traveling to Fort Myers, Florida for the FGCU Eagle Invitational, hosted by the Eagles. The Warhawks will face Hofstra on Friday (Feb. 13) at 8 a.m. CT and FGCU at 12:30 p.m. CT. On Saturday, ULM will face FGCU again at 6:15 p.m. CT. On Sunday, the Warhawks will see Hofstra for a doubleheader at 10 a.m. CT and 12:30 p.m. CT. The games against FGCU will be on ESPN+, and live stats for all games can be found at ulmwarhawks.com/stats.
FOR THE FIRST TIME –
The Warhawks will be facing the Pride and the Eagles for the first time in program history, with five games getting added to the ULM's history this weekend. Hofstra and FGCU are the only two teams the Warhawks will be facing for the first time this season, both with first-year head coaches as well.
SCOUTING THE PRIDE –
Hofstra opens the season against the Warhawks on Friday, looking to find success under first-year head coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke. The Pride returns 13 players from 2025 that finished the season competing in the CAA Tournament semifinals. Hofstra received two first-place votes to tie for first in the CAA-North preseason poll, infielder Alanna Morseand pitcher Emma Falen earning Preseason All-CAA recognition.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES –
The Eagles are sitting at 2-3 to open the season, claiming a shutout win over Long Island and a close 8-7 victory over Ball State in the FGCU Kickoff Classic last weekend. FGCU went 2-2 over opening weekend, falling to Kansas at home in a 3-5 contest on Tuesday. Sietske Drijvers currently leads the team with a .455 batting average, also claiming a home run this season. In the circle, Julia Bacoulis claims a 1.27 ERA from 11 innings, also posting 15 strikeouts in 2026. Preseason ASUN selection Olivia Black leads the team with two stolen bases on the season so far, after claiming 38 last season. The Eagles were selected fifth in the ASUN preseason poll.
LAST TIME OUT –
ULM opened home play with a nine-inning victory over Stephen F. Austin on February 10. In the second inning, the Warhawks were able to load the bases, a walk scoring the first run of the game. But two doubles and a single in the top of the third had the Jacks claiming the 2-1 lead. After two scoreless innings, Hollie Thomas ripped her first career homer in the sixth to tie the game at 2. Unable to find the winning score in the seventh, the game crossed into extra innings, a fielder's choice from Thomas allowing Meagan Brown to cross home plate for the walk-off 3-2 victory. Ashanti McDade was credited with the win in the circle, striking out four batters in two innings, Skylar Waggoner claiming the start with eight strikeouts over seven innings. The pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts in the game, the most tallied since 2022.
TWICE AS NICE –
Twins Meagan Brown and Morgan Brown boast similar numbers and continue to find success on the field together. They are one of 10 sets of twins playing on the same NCAA softball team. Last season, the girls hit back-to-back home runs twice. Both sisters were also named to the All-Sun Belt First Team and Preseason All-Sun Belt team.
MO BROWN AT 28 –
D1Softball revealed its Preseason D100 Mid-Major Player Rankings for 2026, naming ULM's Morgan Brown as the 28th-ranked player in the mid-majors. Last season, Brown boasted a .382 batting average including 16 doubles, four triples and 13 home runs. The Katy, Texas, native also recorded 62 RBIs, which led the Sun Belt.
HOMETOWN HEROES –
The Warhawks also have three hometown players on the 2026 roster, with West Monroe's Maddie Nichols, Monroe's Elle Carter and Abagail Creighton on the roster this season. Nichols went to West Monroe High School, where she was a four-year letterwinner before graduating as valedictorian in 2022. Carter hails from Neville High School, a four-year letterwinner in soccer and softball, the eighth member of her family to attend ULM. Creighton, a freshman, rounds out the Monroe natives as she arrives after six seasons at St. Frederick High School.
LOOKING AHEAD –
The ULM softball team will get back to the state of Louisiana for a contest against the team down I-20, Louisiana Tech. First pitch in Ruston on February 19 is scheduled for 6 p.m.
