CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The 40th season of Austin Peay State University softball begins this weekend when the Governors head to Mercer's Heart of Georgia Classic, Friday-Sunday, at Sikes Field in Macon, Georgia.

Austin Peay begins its 2025 slate with a 12:30 p.m. (CT), Friday contest against Florida A&M before concluding its Opening-Day doubleheader against Saint Joseph's. After taking on host Mercer at 3 p.m., Saturday, and the Hawks immediately following, APSU close the five-game, three-day tournament against the Rattlers at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

The all-time winningest head coach in program history, Kassie Stanfill returns for her seventh year at the helm of Governors softball. Stanfill returns 12 student-athletes – including 11 letterwinners from last year's roster that captured 23 wins.

A Preseason All-ASUN selection and three-time all-conference recipient, senior Kylie Campbell has started all 156 games of her collegiate career and was a First Team All-ASUN honoree at first base a season ago. Campbell was one of five Govs to start all 52 games and ranked second in the ASUN in hits (62), triples (four) and batting average (.378) –all pacing the Govs. Campbell also led the Govs with 336 putouts and a .994 fielding percentage (minimum 60 chances).

A Third and All-Freshman Team and the Govs' leader in the long-ball last season, Howard led the Govs with eight home runs and 34 RBI. Howard also was hit by a pitch a program-record 19 times during her rookie season. Howard's 34 RBI in 2024 are tied for the 13th-most in a single season, while her eight homers are tied for 17th.

In addition to Campbell and Howard, the Stanfill also returned regular starters in senior infielder Macee Roberts (52 starts) and sophomore infielder Kiley Hinton (35 games played), while also returning its second and third-leading pitchers in Samantha Milner and Ashley Martin, who appeared 36 and 27 games, respectively.

In addition to the 12 returners, the Govs welcomed 10 newcomers consisting of five Division I transfers and as many freshmen. 

Sam Leski and Kayleigh Roper both come to Clarksville by way of ASUN foe Florida Gulf Coast, Katie Raper comes following a season at North Carolina State, Sammie Shelander joins after two seasons at Abilene Christian, and Maddison Connolly Hojas also comes from an ASUN opponent in Central Arkansas. 

The Govs' trip to the Peach State marks its first since opening last season 4-0 at Alabama State's 2024 Stinger Classic, in which APSU outscored its four opponents 21-1 for its best start since 2022.

Austin Peay's games against Florida A&M – which will both open and close the tournament – are its first meeting against the Rattlers since a 5-2 win at the 2009 Buzz Classic. The contests against Saint Joseph's will be the seventh and eighth all-time meetings and the first since a 6-2 APSU victory in March 2003. Lastly, the Game 3 outing against host Mercer will be the 21st all-time meeting and the first since the Govs swept the Bears at the 2021 Troy Invitational.

The Heart of Georgia Classic will not be streamed on ESPN+, but fans can follow along with the Govs at the live stats links atop this article.

Up Next

Austin Peay heads to the Lone Star State for its second of five nonconference tournaments for Tarleton State's Whataburger Invitational, Feb. 14-16, at the Tarleton Softball Complex in Stephenville, Texas. There, Austin Peay faces South Dakota State (Game 1 and 5), Tarleton State (Game 2), Akron (Game 3) and Houston Christian (Game 4).

Between The Lines

• The 40th season of Governors softball begins at Mercer's Heart of Georgia Classic.
• Austin Peay is 7-13 all-time against Mercer, and 4-3 against the Bears in Macon, Georgia.
• The Governors are 2-4 all-time against Saint Joseph's, with all six matchups coming in neutral site games.
• Austin Peay is 1-0 all-time against Florida A&M, with the lone meeting also coming in a neutral-site game.
• The Governors return two of its three All-ASUN selections from a season ago in Kylie Campbell and Brie Howard.
• Kylie Campbell had a career-high 62 hits, eight doubles, and 336 putouts while starting all 52 games at first base for APSU.  
• Brie Howard was fifth on the team with 37 hits last season but paced the team with eight home runs and a .563 slugging percentage. 
• Austin Peay returns four pitchers from a season ago in Ashley Martin, Samantha Miner, Emma Thompson, and Emberly Nichols.
• Martin leads the returning group with 107.0 innings pitched a season ago, while Martin leads the group after posting a 3.06 ERA as a junior. 
• Austin Peay is 20-19 all-time in season openers and is 38-43-1 on Opening Day.

Scouting The Rattlers

• Florida A&M is led by first-year head coach Brittan Beall.
• The Rattlers went 26-20 overall and 19-5 in the Southwest Athletic Conference, winning the East Division by three games.
• The Rattlers' 2024 season came to an end following a 3-1 loss to Jackson State in the SWAC Championship.
• Zoryana Hughes was named the SWAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year after being named the 2024 SWAC Pitcher and Co-Freshman of the Year after posting a 15-3 record with a 1.42 ERA. 
• Brianna Duggins was a SWAC Preseason First Team selection after being named a 2024 Second Team All-SWAC recipient last year at first base after tallying 26 hits, 14 RBI, and 11 runs. 
• The Rattlers also had a pair of Preseason Third Team selections in third baseman Aniya Canty and pitcher Samantha Smith.
• Canty had 15 hits and 13 runs a season ago, while Smith posted nine wins and held opponents to a .188 batting average. 

Scouting the Hawks

• Saint Joseph's is led by second-year head coach Gina McCool.
• McCool led the Hawks to a 22-30 season in 2024, with a 14-12 mark in Atlantic-10 action. 
• The Hawks went 1-2 in the A-10 Conference Championship, with their lone win being against Fordham. In the first game of the losers bracket. 
• Saint Joseph's was picked fifth in the A1-10 Preseason.
• The Hawks return one of two nine-win pitchers from a season ago in junior right-handed pitcher, Taylor Trowbridge. Trowbridge was 9-10 in 2024 with a 4.25 ERA in 103.2 innings in the circle.
• SJU also returns its leading hitter from last season in senior infielder, Kayla Tauber. Tauber paced the team with 50 hits a season ago.
• The Hawks hit 13 home runs a season ago as a team and return all four that went yard in 2024. Sarah Cancila and Sierra Fretz paced the team with four apiece and for both of their junior campaigns. 

Scouting the Bears

• Mercer is led by fourth-year head coach, Lindsey Fico who is 59-107 in her head coaching career. 
• The Bears are coming off a 23-30 2024 campaign which saw them post a 11-10 record in Southern Conference action. 
• Mercer was put out of the SoCon Tournament after defeating Wofford in the first round, but dropping games to the eventual champions in Chattanooga and also Western Carolina. 
• The Bears had two selections to the SoCon Softball Preseason teams in infielder Tori Hedgecock and pitcher Grace Taylor.
• A Preseason First Team selection, Hedgecock was 14th in the NCAA with 0.36 home runs. She also batted .317 with nine doubles, 53 RBI and 42 runs.
• Taylor went 10-14 in the circle with a 3.87 ERA, 69 strikeouts, in a team-best 132.0 innings pitched.

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