RICHMOND, Ky. – The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference regular season champion EKU softball program announced its 2025 schedule on Monday afternoon.  The schedule is highlighted by 25 home games beginning in late February and home game against Kentucky in April.

EKU enters its 33rd season under head softball coach Jane Worthington, who will begin the 2025 year 19th among active NCAA DI head coaches in wins.  The Colonels returned 16 members off last year's squad including all-conference performers Maddi Rutan, Jaelin Haynes, Kennedy Drafton, Makayla Mathis and added five newcomers to the team.

Last year, Rutan earned ASUN Pitcher of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and First Team All-ASUN honors after a historic season as a two-way player.  The Indiana native had a 25-5 overall record from the circle with a 2.09 ERA and 158 strikeouts.  Offensively, Rutan was sixth on the team in batting with a .295 average with 46 hits and a team-leading eight home runs appearing in all 52 games as a designated player.  She was named the No. 5 two-way player in the country by Softball America, NFCA All-Region,  and was a finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year award.

Other highlights returning to the 2025 lineup consist of First Team All-ASUN outfielder Haynes, who was second in the conference with a .385 batting average.  Additionally, ASUN All-Freshman infielder Drafton had a .333 batting average appearing in 47 of EKU's games.
 
EKU finished last season 42-10 overall with a 21-3 mark in ASUN Conference play and will look to defend its crown heading into the 2025 season.  The Colonels were one of the only mid-major teams in the country to receive votes in the national top 25 poll and captured their first ASUN Regular Season Championship as a member in the conference -- the third regular season title in program history.
 
The defending champs will open the season from Feb. 7-9 in Atlanta, Ga. at the Buzz Classic and play five games against Western Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Belmont.  The following week from Feb. 14-16, the Colonels will head to Buies Creek, N.C. for five more games against Bryant, UMass Lowell, and Campbell.
 
EKU will then head back to Richmond for its home opener on Feb. 19 against Northern Iowa at 2 p.m. ET. The game will mark the Colonels first home game in mid-February since 2005.
 
After the pit stop at Gertrude Hood Field, EKU will bus to Spartanburg, S.C. for the Sparkle City Invite from Feb. 21-23 against South Carolina State, USC Upstate, Wofford, and Colgate.
 
To end the month, the Colonels will return to the homestead for nine consecutive home games from Feb. 28-March 9 against Illinois Chicago, Akron, Dayton, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Indiana State.  The annual Colonel Classic will be played during this stretch.
 
Before ASUN Conference play begins, the Colonels will play a midweek at Louisville on March 12. EKU defeated the Cardinals 6-2 last season in Richmond in front of the largest crowd in program history.
 
EKU opens league play on March 14 at home against Central Arkansas.  The ASUN Conference moved to division scheduling over the Summer for baseball and softball that will take effect during the 2025 season.  
 
The Colonels will play traditional home and away series against Bellarmine, Central Arkansas, and North Alabama.  Two opponents will be home or away only, consisting of a home only series against Austin Peay from April 18-19 and an away only series at Lipscomb from April 12-13.  The full conference schedule release can be found online here.
 
EKU will face six midweek opponents during the conference portion of the 2025 regular season, three of those on the road against Tennessee (March 18), Northern Kentucky (March 25), Morehead State (April 2) and three at home against Miami (April 8), Kentucky (April 23), and Western Kentucky (April 29).
 
The 2025 ASUN Conference Softball Tournament will run from May 6-10 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.  The Colonels earned the No. 1 seed during last season's event and reached the semifinals.
 
The full 2025 schedule including times and locations can be found online here.