A brief look at the upcoming spring sports season at Piedmont University.

Baseball 

The Lions are ready to get back out on the mound as the team gears up for the 2023 season.

“This year feels different from top to bottom compared to years in the past,” says Junior and returner Michael Thomason.  “We have a good collection of returners coming back that can make an impact and brought in a lot of talented young guys and transfers. We’ve been working hard day in and day out to keep getting better and hopefully, it shows throughout the season.” 

Head coach, Justin Scali, did a lot of recruiting after last season ended as he has brought in 10 transfers and 17 freshmen for the upcoming season. 

Last season the Lions went 18-22-1 overall losing their last two games played in the USA South Championship Tournament. The Lions will be looking for help from all the new players this season to better their results and give them a better chance at the Championship Tournament.

The Lions will begin their season on Feb 9 all the way over on the west coast at California Lutheran University at 5 p.m.  

Softball 

The Lady Lions are ready to take on another winning season this spring.

Last season, the Lady Lions went 31-11 overall, winning the USA South Championship Tournament. The Lady Lions were undefeated throughout the entire tournament beating teams including Methodist University, Greensboro College and Wesleyan College. 

This gave the Lady Lions a chance to compete in the NCAA Division lll National Tournament. The team played against  Hiram College and DePauw University. Unfortunately, the Lady Lions weren’t as successful as they had lost to both teams knocking them out of the tournament. 

Luckily, the team has brought in eight freshmen and four transfers to help fill the gaps they’re needing to make it back to the NCAA Division lll National Tournament and this time, be able to bring home a win.

The Lady Lions will begin play on Feb 12 at 12 p.m. at Home.

Men’s Lacrosse

The Lions are just a few weeks away from jumping back onto the field to begin their season.

“This season is going to be something special,” said senior and captain Connor Rodgers. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there with the guys. We have a great group of incoming freshmen that I think will help us make this season unforgettable.”

Last season the Lions went 10-8 overall. The team made it to the USA South Championship Tournament, however, fell short to Pfeiffer University which knocked them out in the first round. 

This season, the team has 23 returners and will be bringing in 10 incoming freshmen. 

The Lions will start off their season at home on Feb 9 against Oglethorpe University at 6 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse

The Lady Lions have been putting in the work on and off the field to prepare for their upcoming season.

“I’m really looking forward to getting started with the lacrosse season,” said freshman Sierra Judson. “We’ve been putting in a ton of work this offseason both in the weight room and out on the field. Our team goal this season is to win the USA South Championship, so our focus will be on that. This team has a lot of energy and we’re all excited to get started.” 

Last season the team went 9-9 overall, losing to Methodist University in the first round of the USA South Championship Tournament.

This season, head coach Kirsten McKay has brought in 9 incoming freshmen and one transfer to help the team be more successful. 

The Lady Lions will step back out on the field on Feb 8 at 6 p.m. at home. 

Men’s Tennis 

The tennis team is gearing up to take on the 2023 season.

“We came off a great season last year with our Coach, Matt Williams,” said Junior Leo Galarza. “We grew as a team and learned new things from Coach Williams. We are hoping to have great success out on the court this semester as well.”

The Lions had a very successful regular season last year going 16-6 overall. The team made it to the USA South Championship Tournament but fell to Southern Virginia University, knocking the Lions out of the tournament. 

The team will welcome four incoming freshmen and one transfer this season.

The Lions will pick up their rackets on Jan 28 at 2 p.m. in Macon, GA to face Mercer University.

Women’s Tennis

The Lady Lions are preparing to get back on the court for the upcoming season.

“Our fall season went better than I was expecting and I’m very excited to get started in the spring,” said Sophomore Bri Laidman. “We’ve been practicing, lifting and just working so hard to be successful this season. I believe our team has the same expectations as we did last year. Since we are in a new conference, we all would really like to win. The team and I want to make history and be the first team to win in the new conference to grow and be successful.”

The Lady Lions are coming off a great season going 25-5. The team went undefeated in the USA South Championship Tournament beating Pfeiffer University, Methodist University and Averett University.

 The Lady Lions continued to the NCAA Regional Tournament beating Transylvania University but falling short to Emory University,  knocking them out of the tournament. 

The Lady Lions are welcoming four incoming freshmen this upcoming season to join their squad. 

The Lady Lions will begin their season on Feb 18 at 2 p.m. at Johnson & Wales (N.C).