CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (February 13, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team will play in the Scenic City for the second consecutive season, as the Lions will battle Lindenwood and Chattanooga in a pair of doubleheaders this weekend at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
UNA will only play four games this weekend, starting with a Friday doubleheader at 11:30 a.m. CT and a Saturday doubleheader at 2 p.m. CT. The Lions will play Lindenwood then Chattanooga on Friday, then flip the order to Chattanooga and Lindenwood on Saturday. The Lions will not play Sunday.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the UNA Softball social media pages on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates throughout the weekend, including potential weather announcements.
 
The Chattanooga Challenge will not be live streamed, but live stats are available free of charge and can be accessed at this link.
 
GAME 1
North Alabama vs. Lindenwood
Friday, February 14, 2025
11:30 AM CT
 
GAME 2
North Alabama at Chattanooga
Friday, February 14, 2025
2 PM CT
 
GAME 3
North Alabama at Chattanooga
Saturday, February 15, 2025
2 PM CT
 
GAME 4
North Alabama vs. Lindenwood
Saturday, February 15, 2025
4:30 PM CT
 
LIVE STATS | TICKETS | TOURNAMENT PAGE
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama swept through the 2025 Stinger Classic with a perfect 5-0 record, including two wins over Nicholls State and three wins over Alabama State in Montgomery, Ala. Three of the five games were decided by two runs or less, while the other two were decided by 10 or more runs.
 
STARTING STRONG: The Lions are off to a 5-0 start for the fourth time in seven seasons at the Division I level. However, UNA has never had a 6-0 start at the Division I level. The last 6-0 start came during the 2016 national championship season as UNA started 10-0. The Lions have never had a losing season in 12 years under head coach Ashley Cozart.
 
THE DAWN OF DOVER: Sophomore Briley Dover was voted ASUN Player of the Week on Monday following a 10-for-18 weekend at the Stinger Classic. On Saturday against Nicholls State, Dover went 5-for-5 with a single, double, two triples and a homer in the seventh inning to complete the cycle. She is the first Division I player at UNA to hit for the cycle, hit two triples in one game and to have five hits in one game.
 
SIMON STRIKES: Twin sisters Emily Simon and Katie Simon pitched in four of the five games this weekend. Emily's performance landed her ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday, as she went 2-0 with a save in three appearances. Emily Simon tossed 12.0 innings and struck out 10 with just two walks and four hits allowed. Katie Simon earned her first win as a Lion in the Sunday game with five shutout innings, including one hit, one walk and seven strikeouts.
 
WE GOT THE POWER: Though one week of softball, UNA leads the Atlantic Sun Conference with 38 runs, six triples, eight home runs, 33 RBIs and 83 total bases. Dover leads the league with an impressive 1.333 slugging percentage with three homers, two triples and a double over five games. She also leads the league with nine runs and 10 hits. Junior outfielder Gyvan Hammons and senior infielder Hailey Jones rank second in the ASUN with six runs apiece.
 
THE DREAM TEAM: UNA head coach Ashley Cozart enters her 12th season with the Lions. She has a career record of 582-220-1 over 16 seasons, including a 391-174-1 record in 12 years at UNA. Cozart is assisted by Whitney Hawkins in her second stint at UNA, as well as former UNA standout Hannah Shollenberger and recent graduate Danielle Taitt. Cozart and Hawkins, back in her first stint, were the 2016 Division II Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
SCOUTING THE OTHER LIONS: Lindenwood is UNA's first and last opponent of the weekend, who also uses the Lion mascot. The Lions are 2-2 this season following the 901 Classic Tournament in Memphis, including two losses to Memphis and wins over Hampton and Rust College. The Lions were picked sixth of 10 in the preseason OVC poll. Senior outfielder Irelynn West is the player to watch after landing All-OVC honors last season. She finished 2-for-13 in Memphis last week.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. LINDENWOOD: UNA has only played Lindenwood one time, and it came early in the 2016 season. Both were Division II opponents at the time, as the Lions cruised to an 11-0 win in five innings at the Gulf Coast Invitational. The Lions went on to finish 60-7 and win the NCAA Division II National Championship. Lindenwood moved up to Division I in 2023.
 
SCOUTING THE MOCS: Chattanooga went 2-3 at the Frank Griffin Classic in DeLand, Fla. last week, defeating FDU and Binghamton before falling in the second of two games with Binghamton. The Mocs lost the final two games against fellow ASUN member Stetson. Chattanooga is the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference led by Preseason Pitcher of the Year Peja Goold and reigning SoCon Player of the Week Acelynn Sellers with a .533 batting average. Last season, UTC won the SoCon with a 42-16 record and appeared in the Florida State Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. CHATTANOOGA UNA and Chattanooga have only played one time, which came at last season's Chattanooga Challenge. The Mocs won that game 5-0 with Goold pitching a seven-inning shutout. Returning senior Ryleigh Boyett had a double in that game.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.