CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's softball team opens its 2026 season at the five-game UWG Opening Weekend, Friday-Sunday, at University Field in Carrollton, Georgia. In addition to the Governors, the tournament field features Georgia State, Drexel, and host West Georgia.
Austin Peay begins its tournament stay Friday afternoon where the season officially gets underway with a 4 p.m. (CT) first pitch against Georgia State. Following its matchup against the Panthers the Governors face West Georgia at 6:30 p.m. The following afternoon, the Govs take on Drexel in a 1:30 p.m., Saturday clash before closing the second day of the event with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch against West Georgia. APSU's first weekend then comes to a close with a 2 p.m., Sunday contest against UWG.
Led by eighth-year and the all-time winningest head coach in Austin Peay softball history, Kassie Stanfill, the Governors are coming off a 2025 season in which they tied the program record with 39 wins, while also securing a record 14 ASUN victories. Stanfill returns 13 athletes from last year's team including ASUN Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Preseason All-ASUN Team selection in outfielder Brie Howard, in addition to a preseason all-conference selection and infielder, Kiley Hinton.
A reigning First Team All-ASUN recipient following her sophomore season, Howard finished on the team in runs (38), hits (56), triples (3), total basses (93), batting average (.354), and on-base percentage (.440), while her 37 RBI and eight home runs were third and fourth on the team, respectively. Howard has started 102-of-104 games throughout her collegiate career, and has earned All-ASUN recognition both seasons in Clarksville.
A two-year starter in the Governors' infield, Hinton started 54-of-55 games for the Govs in 2025, with all her starts coming at second base. She paced the Govs with 13 doubles, 122 assists, and a .988 fielding percentage, with her 122 assists ranking second in the ASUN. The Mishawaka, Indiana native finished fifth on APSU with 46 hits, sixth with 31 RBI and eighth with 25 runs scored.
Stanfill also returns Katie Raper, who started all 50 games she appeared in and whose 14 home runs were the second-most in program history.
Up Next
Austin Peay hits the road for the Carl Vincent Insurance Invitational, Feb. 13-15, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. There, the Govs will face host McNeese State, Lamar, and Illinois-Chicago.
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