COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team has announced its 2023 schedule on Thursday afternoon as the Lions play their first season in NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference under first-year coach Brittany Miller.
 
The schedule features five weekend tournaments to start the season, including three at Power-Five conference schools, and non-conference games at North Texas and Arkansas, as well as eight series against SLC teams.
 
"We are really excited to get the opportunity to play some of the top teams in the country and perennial college softball powers in our first Division I season, which will prepare us for the Southland Conference slate," said coach Brittany Miller.
 
A&M-Commerce's inaugural Division I season begins in College Station with the Aggie Classic on February 10-12. The field of teams in the season-opening tournament besides Texas A&M and A&M-Commerce as well as the full schedule will be announced at a later date.
 
The following weekend, the Lions head to familiar territory for a tournament hosted by Tarleton on February 17-19. The Lions remain in Texas to close out February, taking part in a tournament hosted by Baylor on February 23-25 in Waco.
 
March begins with a trip to Tucson, Arizona, for the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Arizona on March 3-5. The Lions play their final non-conference tournament on March 10-12 in Reno, Nevada, at the Nevada Tournament.
 
The field of teams as well as the schedule of each non-conference tournament will be released at a later date.
 
Prior to start of SLC play, the Lions head to Denton to take on North Texas for a mid-week doubleheader on March 14. The other midweek non-conference doubleheader comes on April 18 at Arkansas, who will play in Commerce during the 2024 season.
 
The Southland Conference schedule begins on March 17-18. This season, the teams will play a doubleheader on Fridays and a single game on Saturdays for a three-game series. For A&M-Commerce home games, first pitch for Friday doubleheaders is set for 5 p.m. and Saturday games begin at noon.
 
The Lions host Nicholls for the first home games of the season on March 17-18 and begin SLC play.
 
A&M-Commerce heads back on the road the next two weekends, at McNeese on March 24-25 and at Southeastern Louisiana on March 31-April 1. McNeese is the defending conference champion, while Southeastern finished as the runner-up.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi comes to Commerce on April 7-8, the Lions then head to Houston Christian on April 11-12. Following the doubleheader at Arkansas on April 18, the Lions host UIW on April 21-22 and host the final series at home on April 28-29 against Northwestern State.
 
The regular season concludes in Beaumont on May 5-6 against Lamar. The Lions remain down there for the SLC Tournament, hosted by McNeese, on May 9-12.
 
While A&M-Commerce is not eligible for the NCAA Tournament during its four-year transition to being a full Division I member, it is eligible for the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC).
 
2023 A&M-COMMERCE SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Site
Feb. 10-12	Aggie Classic	College Station
Feb. 17-19	Tarleton Tournament	Stephenville
Feb. 23-25	Baylor Tournament	Waco
March 3-5	Wildcat Classic	Tucson, Ariz.
March 10-12	Nevada Tournament	Reno, Nev.
March 14	at North Texas (DH)	Denton
MARCH 17	NICHOLLSSLC (DH)	COMMERCE
MARCH 18	NICHOLLSSLC	COMMERCE
March 24	at McNeeseSLC (DH)	Lake Charles, La.
March 25	at McNeeseSLC	Lake Charles, La.
March 31	at Southeastern LouisianaSLC (DH)	Hammond, La.
April 1	at Southeastern LouisianaSLC	Hammond, La.
APRIL 7	TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTISLC (DH)	COMMERCE
APRIL 8	TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTISLC	COMMERCE
April 11	at Houston ChristianSLC (DH)	Houston
April 12	at Houston ChristianSLC	Houston
April 18	at Arkansas (DH)	Fayetteville, Ark.
APRIL 21	INCARNATE WORDSLC (DH)	COMMERCE
APRIL 22	INCARNATE WORDSLC	COMMERCE
APRIL 28	NORTHWESTERN STATESLC (DH)	COMMERCE
APRIL 29	NORTHWESTERN STATESLC	COMMERCE
May 5	at LamarSLC (DH)	Beaumont
May 6	at LamarSLC	Beaumont
May 9-12	SLC Tournament	Lake Charles, La.