GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Hampton University softball team will hit the road this weekend to compete in the Spartan Classic hosted by UNC Greensboro, with games slated for Saturday and Sunday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
The Lady Pirates (1-4) will face Minnesota at 12 p.m. and Army at 5 p.m. on Saturday, before taking on George Washington on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and host UNC Greensboro at 5 p.m.
 
Hampton was set to compete in the Alabama State Hornet Invitational this past weekend, but inclement weather prevented the Lady Pirates from traveling. The Lady Pirates last played Feb. 6-8, when they were in Hawaii for the Paradise Classic.
 
Freshmen Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) and Taylor Clark (Queen Creek, Ariz.) were each named to the All-Tournament Team. Clark is second on the team in hitting so far this season at .364, while Budden is third at .267.
 
The Lady Pirates are in their first season under interim head coach Michael Pelegrino, who was an assistant coach last season as Hampton won 34 games, taking the MEAC Northern Division regular-season title and winning its first MEAC Tournament crown since 1996.
 
Junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) was a large part of last season's success, earning MEAC Pitcher of the Year honors after winning 26 games for the Lady Pirates and striking out a MEAC-best (and school-record) 255 batters in 252.0 innings pitched.
 
She was also an NFCA Second Team All-Region selection and a Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Second Team All-State honoree. Jackson led the MEAC in wins, ERA (2.64), and strikeouts last season, while setting school records in innings pitched, appearances, and starts.
 
Jackson also threw 25 complete games last season.
 
The Lady Pirates return seven letterwinners and five starters (as well as two pitchers) from last season's squad, including redshirt-junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.), who was named First Team All-MEAC last season after hitting .343 with six home runs and 32 RBIs.
 
She tied for second in the MEAC with 49 runs scored last season, and Wilkins was also third in the conference in hits, fifth in total bases, seventh in doubles, and tied for eighth in the home runs.
 
Sophomore Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) was the Most Outstanding Player of last season's MEAC Tournament, and she earned VaSID Second Team All-State honors after hitting a team-best .398. She also led the Lady Pirates in hits, doubles, TBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and fielding percentage.
 
McCoy was second in the MEAC in hits, doubles, and total bases last season, while ranking third in the conference in batting average and tying for fourth in RBIs. She was also fifth in the MEAC in on-base percentage.
 
Junior Kerissa Burruel (Phoenix, Ariz.) was a Second Team All-MEAC selection last season, after hitting .285 for the season, recording a .350 on-base percentage, and going 3-for-4 in stolen bases. She also had a .925 fielding percentage, committing just 11 errors on the season.
 
Sophomore Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) was tied for fifth in the MEAC last season with 22 stolen bases.
 
The Lady Pirates are 1-3 all-time against George Washington, with that win coming on March 8, 2011, and 0-1 against UNC Greensboro.
 
Hampton has never faced Minnesota or Army.
 
For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.