NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team will play 16 home games and will compete in three early season tournaments as the Blue Hens’ 2009 schedule was released on Tuesday.

Delaware, which will be led by 29th-year head coach B.J. Ferguson, opens its season on February 24 with a single game at Saint Joseph’s. The Blue Hens will then make their annual trip to Greenville, N.C. to compete in the East Carolina Tournament from February 27 through March 1. Following a mid-week doubleheader at Pennsylvania on March 4, UD will participate in the Marshall Tournament from March 6-8 and in the Maryland Tournament from March 13-15.

After Delaware travels to Lehigh for a twinbill with the Mountain Hawks on March 18, the Blue Hens will open their home season on March 21-22 with a three-game series with James Madison in UD’s Colonial Athletic Association opening games. The Blue Hens then travel to Dover for their annual doubleheader with in-state rival Delaware State on March 25, and will continue league action with three games at Georgia State on March 28-29.

The Blue Hens conclude the month with a home doubleheader against Villanova on March 31, and following a twinbill at La Salle on April 2, Delaware hosts UNC Wilmington in a three-game conference series on April 4-5. UD continues its homestand with a doubleheader against Rider on April 8 and a single game versus Binghamton the following day before facing Drexel in a three-game CAA series in Philadelphia on April 10-11.

Delaware will then host Towson in a three-game league set on April 18-19, and the Blue Hens will close out their home schedule on April 22 with a twinbill against Army. Following a three-game CAA series at George Mason on April 25-26, UD travels to Baltimore for a doubleheader with UMBC on April 29. The Blue Hens conclude their regular season with a three-game conference set at Hofstra on May 2-3. The top four teams in the CAA advance to the conference tournament, held on May 7-9 on the campus of the regular season champion.

Delaware, which went 22-26 overall and 4-17 in the CAA last season, returns seven of nine position starters and both starting pitchers for the 2009 campaign. Senior Quinn Megargel (above), the only Blue Hen to start all 48 games a year ago, batted .323 with team-highs of 32 runs scored, eight doubles and four triples. Junior outfielder Cecile Egan, who batted .313 in 30 games, and junior Caitlin Smith, who hit .305 while starting 35 games behind the plate, also return to lead the Blue Hens.

Sophomore Anne Marie Pagano, who went 13-10 with a 3.20 earned run average, and junior Samantha Shawn, who went 9-15 with a 3.41 ERA, also return as Delaware’s top two pitchers.

AGATE

2009 University of Delaware Softball Schedule
Feb. 24 at Saint Joseph's, 3 p.m.; Feb.27-Mar. 1 at East Carolina Tournament, tba; Mar. 4 at Pennsylvania (DH), 2 p.m.; Mar. 6-8 at Marshall Tournament, tba; Mar. 13-15 at Maryland Tournament, tba; Mar. 18 at Lehigh (DH), tba; Mar. 21 vs. *James Madison (DH), 12 noon; Mar. 22 vs. *James Madison, 12 noon; Mar. 25 at Delaware State (DH), 2:30 p.m.; Mar. 28 at *Georgia State (DH), tba; Mar. 29 at *Georgia State, tba; Mar. 31 vs. Villanova (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 2 at La Salle (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 4 vs. *UNC Wilmington (DH), 12 noon; Apr. 5 vs. *UNC Wilmington, 12 noon; Apr. 8 vs. Rider (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 9 vs. Binghamton, 2 p.m.; Apr. 10 at *Drexel (DH), tba; Apr. 11 at *Drexel, tba; Apr. 18 vs. *Towson (DH), 12 noon; Apr. 19 vs. *Towson, 12 noon; Apr. 22 vs. Army (DH), 3 p.m.; Apr. 25 at *George Mason (DH), tba; Apr. 26 at *George Mason, tba; Apr. 29 at UMBC (DH), 2 p.m.; May 2 at *Hofstra (DH), tba; May 3 at *Hofstra, tba; May 7-9 at CAA Tournament (top four teams qualify), tba