Clarksville, TN – The schedule for the 41st season of Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball was announced by eighth-year head coach Kassie Stanfill. The 54-game slate is features 23 games at Cathi Maynard Park and the return of both the Governors Classic and the Cathi Maynard Invitational.
The winningest coach in program history with 190 wins at the helm of Governors softball, Stanfill and the Govs are coming off a 39-16 campaign, tied for the most wins in a single season in program history. APSU also had a record 14 wins in Atlantic Sun Conference play, while earning a pair of postseason wins in the 2025 ASUN Softball Championship.
Austin Peay opens its 2026 season at the UWG Opening Weekend Event, February 6th-8th, where it faces Georgia State, Drexel and host West Georgia. The Govs open the tournament with a doubleheader against Georgia State (February 6th) followed by West Georgia. The following afternoon, the Govs face Drexel (February 7th) followed by its second contest against the Panthers for the night cap. The tournament then concludes against the host Wolves at 2:00pm (CT). Despite the Govs and Wolves both being ASUN Conference foes, both contests between the two will be treated as nonconference contests.
The second weekend of the season takes APSU to the Bayou State for McNeese’s Carl Vincent Insurance Invitational. Both days of the event (February 13th-14th) kick off with the Govs facing Lamar at 11:00am, followed by a 4:00pm first pitch against the Cowgirls. APSU then concludes the event against Illinois-Chicago (11:00am). APSU’s contests against McNeese are the first since a three-game series sweep in February 2019, with the second game of that series being the longest game in program history, a 16-inning, 2-1 victory in which APSU Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor Member Morgan Rackel tallied the complete-game victory.
From Louisiana, the Governors head west to Texas for the Bearkat Invitational (February 20th-22nd) where they’ll face Prairie View A&M, Houston Christian, and host Sam Houston (February 20th-22nd). The invitational opens with its first-ever meeting against Prairie View A&M (Feb. 20) followed by a game against Sam Houston. The following morning, the Govs face Houston Christian (February 21st) for the second time in as many seasons and the first time since a 7-3 win last season (2/15/25) at Tarleton State’s tournament, following another afternoon game against the hosting Bearkats, APSU closes the event against the Panthers (February 22nd).
With a trio of road tournaments now behind it, Austin Peay State University returns to the confines of Cathi Maynard Park for the first time in 2026 for the Governors Classic (February 27th – March 1st) in a field consisting of Stonehill, Southern Indiana, and Central Michigan. APSU faces Stonehill (February 27th) – another first-time foe – for a 12:30pm game, which then will be followed by a 3:00pm against Southern Indiana. The next day features a pair of foes from the Mid-American Conference in Central Michigan (February 28th) and Ohio, also at 12:30pm / 1:00pm doubleheader. The tournament concludes with APSU hosting Stonehill (March 1) for a 12:30pm, Sunday tilt.
Remaining in Clarksville to conclude its tournament season, the Govs host the Cathi Maynard Invitation (March 6th-8th). There, the Govs face Butler and Western Michigan. The APSU Govs first day of the event features a 2:00pm / 4:00pm doubleheader against Butler (March 6) and Western Michigan at 2:00pm and 4:30pm, respectively. The following day, Austin Peay State University faces Butler (March 7th) in a doubleheader, with first pitch set for 1:00pm, and the final day sees APSU facing WMU at 1:00pm.
The Govs then travel to Columbia, Tennessee for the Mid-State Classic to face Tennessee (March 10) for its final pre-conference tuneup. A Women’s College World Series participant, Tennessee enters the 2026 season ranked No. 4 by Softball America.
Atlantic Sun Conference play begins in the Bluegrass State, where the Govs ace Eastern Kentucky (March 14th-15th), before then heading back to the home state for its first of four midweeks against Tennessee Tech (March 18th) in Cookeville.
After a brief stop back in Clarksville for its first home series of conference play against North Alabama (March 21st-22nd), the Govs take on Murray State (March 25th) before then heading to Conway, Arkansas for a three-day tilt with Central Arkansas (March 27th-29th).
April opens with seven-straight home games, beginning with an Easter weekend series against Bellarmine (April 3rd-4th) before then hosting Middle Tennessee (April 7th) for the second time in as many seasons for a 4:00pm, Wednesday midweek. The homestand then concludes against Lipscomb (April 11th-12h).
A seven-game, 12-day road trip opens with a neutral-site and in-state matchup against UT Martin (April 14th) at Lexington High School in Henderson, Tennessee. The Govs then take on North Alabama (April 18th-19th) before its final road series of the regular season takes it to the Music City for a clash with Lipscomb (April 25th-26th).
The regular season then wraps up at Cathi Maynard Park, where APSU plays host to Eastern Kentucky (May 1st-2nd).
The 2026 Atlantic Sun Conference Softball Championship will take place May 5th-9th at the UNF Softball Complex in Jacksonville, Florida. A full tournament bracket and other information will be made available at a later date.
