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Softball Brandon Sans

Softball Opens CAA Tournament on Thursday

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW softball team takes aim at its third Coastal Athletic Association Championship in five years when it opens the 2026 CAA Tournament vs. No. 3 seed Campbell, on Thursday, May 7, at 3:30 p.m. at Elon's Hunt Softball Park.

UPDATE 5/7 (9 a.m.): All Thursday games at the CAA Softball Tournament have been pushed back an hour due to rain. UNCW will now play Campbell at 3:30 p.m.

The Seahawks, who earned the No. 2 seed and an opening-day bye by winning the CAA South Division, carry a 31-17 overall record into the tournament after tying a program record with 18 conference wins.

The Camels (33-21) walked off No. 6 seed Elon 4-3 on Wednesday to set up the fourth straight meeting after UNCW took two of three against Campbell in Wilmington to lock up the CAA South Division.

All games of the CAA Championship will be streamed on FloCollege (subscription required) with live stats on UNCW's StatBroadcast website. All-Season and single-session (day pass) ticket options are available now for purchase online.

In a formula similar to its first two championships in 2022 and 2024, the Seahawks are anchored by one the nation's top pitching staffs along with solid defense and elite situational hitting.

In the circle, CAA Pitcher and Freshman of the Year Camille Hamilton headlines a staff that has produced a league-leading 2.85 ERA and established a program record with 14 shutouts. Hamilton, who became the third player in CAA history to win both top Pitcher and Rookie honors, carried a 15-5 record and 1.85 ERA (24th in NCAA) into the weekend.

Seven lineup regulars are hitting better than .280 this season, with All-CAA First Teamer Cassidy Relay's league-best .448 batting average and 31 steals perched atop the lineup, along with two-time All-CAA shortstop Madison Biddle, who has erupted to hit .397 in league games and capped the regular season with a home run to kickstart a four-run inning that proved the difference in the CAA South vs. Campbell last Friday. 

Relay carries an unblemished 1.000 fielding percentage into the tournament while sophomore catcher Sierra Persinger has proven to be one of the nation's elite at controlling the run game, catching 14 base stealers this season, good for a share of 12th in the nation.

The winner of Thursday's game will advance into the Winner's Bracket Final on Sunday at Noon, while the loser will play an elimination game immediately after or Friday at 2:30 p.m., depending on the results of Thursday's game vs. No. 1 Hofstra and No. 5 Charleston.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Madison Biddle

#14 Madison Biddle

IF
5' 4"
Junior
R/R
Sierra Persinger

#17 Sierra Persinger

C/IF
5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
Cassidy Relay

#33 Cassidy Relay

OF
5' 2"
Junior
L/L
Camille Hamilton

#19 Camille Hamilton

P/UTIL
5' 9"
Freshman
L/R

Players Mentioned

Madison Biddle

#14 Madison Biddle

5' 4"
Junior
R/R
IF
Sierra Persinger

#17 Sierra Persinger

5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
C/IF
Cassidy Relay

#33 Cassidy Relay

5' 2"
Junior
L/L
OF
Camille Hamilton

#19 Camille Hamilton

5' 9"
Freshman
L/R
P/UTIL