MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Head Coach Hal Wynn has announced the 2026 Faulkner Softball schedule, the 35th season for the program under its founding head coach and former athletic director, featuring nine opponents currently ranked or receiving votes in the national poll. With a neutral-site doubleheader to open the season and a pair of weekend tournaments, the Lady Eagles play just one home nonconference series before starting SSAC play on March 10 with the first of five straight home doubleheaders before the first true road contests of the slate.
First pitch of the season is scheduled for Friday, February 20 at 3 pm for a doubleheader versus No. 19 Southeastern on the campus of William Carey, as the Fire later takes on the host Lady Crusaders, who await Faulkner in SSAC play. It will be the first contest between the Lady Eagles and perennially national-contending Fire that will not take place in the Gulf Coast Invitational.
One week later, Faulkner will participate in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NAIA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., the site of the NAIA Softball World Series, for the first time since 2009. The slate is loaded for Faulkner as they open on the 27th at 2:30 against No. 4 Georgia Gwinnett before taking on Johnson (Tenn.). On Saturday, the 28th, they open at 1:30 versus No. 15 Reinhardt before taking on RV Campbellsville at 4 pm. They will wrap up their time in the tournament on Sunday, March 1, with another huge test in No. 7 Cumberlands (Ky.) at 10 am.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Lady Eagles play at Wynn Field for the first time with a regional doubleheader against former SSAC foe Brenau at 1 pm. That weekend, they travel for the annual Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Ala. They open their time at the Sportsplex on Friday, March 6 at 11:15 am versus Houston-Victoria, the sixth time the teams will meet, all in the GCI. Faulkner turns around and plays Williams Baptist early that afternoon. The Lady Eagles play another former SSAC rival in Bethel (Tenn.) at 1:30 before taking on sister school Freed-Hardeman at 3:45 the next day and wrapping up their stay at the coast on Sunday, the 8th, versus Georgetown (Ky.).
Faulkner returns home to open SSAC play two days later at 1 pm versus 2025 NAIA Opening Round participant Thomas. On Friday, the 13th, the Lady Eagles host another conference rival and Opening Round participant in RV UT Southern at 2 pm before a 1 pm series the next day against Blue Mountain Christian. Faulkner pauses conference play as it hosts a pair of young in-state NAIA programs in United States Sports University on Saturday, March 21, and Oakwood on Wednesday, March 25.
It's on the road again for the Lady Eagles as they travel for two road SSAC series the next Friday and Saturday against two perennial conference and national contenders and preseason receiving votes squads in Mobile and William Carey, respectively. This will be the first regular season since 2019 in which Faulkner will play both the local SSAC powerhouses just once.
The Lady Eagles make the return trip to Huntsville to play the Ambassadors again on Wednesday, April 1. On Friday, the 3rd, they return to campus to host Point in the first installment of the Battle of I-85, softball edition. Faulkner then hits the road for the next three weeks, with four of the next five series in Georgia, starting with the return trip to Thomasville to face the Night Hawks again on Tuesday, April 7. On that Friday and Saturday, the Lady Eagles travel to Tifton and Mount Vernon to face off with Abraham Baldwin and Brewton-Parker Christian, respectively.
Faulkner heads back to Alabama and travels to Daphne for a 4 pm doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15, in the return trip to USSU. On Saturday, the 18th, the Lady Eagles travel for its last road series of the regular season as it makes the return trip to West Point, Ga., to take on the Skyhawks and finish off the rivalry series. Then, on Friday and Saturday of the next week, Faulkner wraps up its regular season and celebrates its senior class as it welcomes the Fillies of ABAC for the first time and the Lady Barons of BPCU to the friendly confines of Wynn Field.
The SSAC Championship will be held from April 30-May 2 at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex in Decatur, Ala. The national tournament will begin with the Opening Round hosted at campus sites from May 11-14 before the World Series from May 21-26 at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga.
