Riverdale, NY - Manhattan softball will open up the 2020 season in Madeira Beach, FL, on the way to a 56-game slate and the 2020 MAAC Championship, held May 6-9 at the league's highest-seeded school.
The Jaspers will start play on familiar territory, having traveled to the Madeira Beach Invitational each year since the 2016 season. To start the six-game invitational, Manhattan will face newly Division I Merrimack on February 21. That same day, the Jaspers will take on South Dakota, who earned a berth in the National Invitational Softball Championships last season. Other Madeira opponents include Colgate (February 22), Georgetown (February 22), Cornell (February 23) and UAlbany (February 23).
Manhattan will play its first home doubleheader of 2020 against Hartford on March 4 at Gaelic Park. Hard to beat at home, the Jaspers have earned winning records at Gaelic every season since 2013.
Back on the road, the Jaspers will face a three-team tournament against Morgan State and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Baltimore March 7-8. Manhattan will then head to New Britain, CT to take on familiar foe Central Connecticut in a doubleheader on March 11, before traveling back to Florida for The Spring Games, where the Jaspers will face Cleveland State (March 13), North Florida (March 13), Princeton (March 14), Northern Kentucky (March 14), Eastern Illinois (March 15) and Stetson (March 15).
Back up north, Manhattan will again play Hartford and Merrimack, this time on the first day of the annual Nor'Easter Tournament on March 21 in West Hartford, CT. The following day, the Jaspers will finish up in New Britain, CT, taking on Maine and Central Connecticut.
Manhattan returns home to face Stony Brook in a doubleheader on March 24, before opening MAAC play on March 28 in a doubleheader against Canisius at Gaelic, followed by another home DH against Niagara the following day. After a single game against St. John's at Gaelic on March 31, Manhattan will do the MAAC New Jersey swing, playing at Monmouth on April 4 and at Rider on April 5.
The Jaspers will play another single at Columbia on April 8 and then travel to Poughkeepsie, NY to face Marist on April 11, before hosting a 14-game homestand at Gaelic from April 14 through the 29th. Fans will have the chance to catch seven Manhattan home doubleheaders, starting with Fairleigh Dickinson on April 14. The Jaspers will then host Iona on the 18th and Fairfield the following day, before breaking from conference play to host Sacred Heart (April 23) and Army (April 25). Returning to MAAC play, Manhattan will face Quinnipiac at Gaelic on April 26, then the NEC's Wagner on April 29 in the final home doubleheader of the year.
Manhattan will open May with a doubleheader at Saint Peter's on the 2nd, and finish the regular season at Siena on May 3.
Manhattan finished 21-29 (8-12 MAAC) last season, unable to qualify for the six-team MAAC playoffs. Now graduated infielder
Lauren Pitney was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-MAAC First Team, while returner
Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) was named the league's best designated player and also earned first team honors. Moore and classmate
Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands) were both named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
