COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The UT Arlington softball team kicks off its highly-anticipated 2020 season in College Station this weekend with a quintet of games as part of the Aggie Classic Friday through Sunday.

Coming off a second-consecutive 30-win campaign and a season in which the program won its first-ever postseason championship, the Mavericks will begin play with two games on Friday, followed by two more Saturday before concluding the tournament with its final contest on Sunday.
 
TOURNAMENT: AGGIE CLASSIC
OPPONENTS: Texas A&M (0-0), Abilene Christian (0-0)
WHEN: February 7-9
WHERE: College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond
GAME 1 vs. Texas A&M (Friday, 3:00 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
GAME 2 vs. Texas A&M (Friday, 5:15 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
GAME 3 vs. Texas A&M (Saturday, 2:15 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
GAME 4 vs. Abilene Christian (Saturday, 4:00 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
GAME 5 vs. Abilene Christian (Sunday, 10:00 a.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
TICKETS: BUY HERE
 
UTA NOTES

• The Mavs knocked off Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State in the regional portion of the National Invitational Softball Championship before advancing in the tournament to defeat Liberty, Loyola Marymount and finally Iowa State to take home its first-ever postseason championship.
• UTA welcomes back 13 returning Mavs, including its entire pitching staff while adding 13 newcomers to the squad in the offseason, including nine freshman and four transfers (three from Blinn College and one from UT-Austin).
• Senior Shortstop Whitney Walton was chosen for USA Softball's 2020 Player of the Year Top 50 "Watch List." The Lake Jackson, Texas, native is one of only three Sun Belt Conference student-athletes in the running for NCAA Division I's most prestigious end-of-the-season individual honor.
• Walton and senior catcher Reagan Wright were both named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team after finishing 2019 with in-conference batting averages above .350, including slugging percentages of .524 or higher.

 
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT – Texas A&M

• Texas A&M is led by returning seniors Payton McBride (P/1B) and Kelbi Fortenberry (OF). McBride finished 2019 with a .329 batting average and a team-best 30 RBI while throwing seven complete games to end the year with a 3.49 ERA and 9-7 record. Fortenberry led the Aggies in hits (62), runs (33), total bases (74) and finished the season with a team-leading .343 batting average.
• The Aggies finished 2019 with a 28-27 overall record, going 6-18 in the SEC and finished the year ranked 50th in the NCAA Division I softball RPI.
• Texas A&M advanced to its 18th consecutive NCAA Regional appearance, ending its season with a 3-2 loss against UT-Austin.
• UTA lost to the Aggies last season 1-0 in a pitcher's duel where RC Phillips pitched the entire game for the Mavs, allowing just the one run off five hits.
• The Mavs haven't been victorious over the Aggies since 1995 when UTA beat Texas A&M twice in the same season. The Aggies lead the series 65-18 and have won the past 14 meetings between the two schools.

 
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT – Abilene Christian

• UTA leads the overall series 4-3 after beating the Wildcats 2-1 in Arlington at Allan Saxe Field last year.
• Abilene Christian finished last season with a 13-31 overall record, ending the year ranked 238 in the NCAA Division I softball RPI.
• The Wildcats are led by returning seniors Samantha Bradley (P) and Blair Clayton (C) along with junior Kayla Keeling (C). Both Clayton and Keeling finished tied with team-highs of seven home runs while Bradley ended the year with a team-best 39 hits and .317 batting average.
• Abilene Christian ended 2019 winning four out of its last seven games.

 
ON DECK
The Mavs will return home to host the Maverick Classic over the weekend where UTA will square off in four games against Texas Southern, Stephen F. Austin, UMKC and Kent State. First-pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. against Texas Southern on Friday, February 14 at Allan Saxe Field.