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Binghamton University Athletics

South Carolina Preview

Softball Launches 2026 Season at Gamecock Invite.

| By: David O’Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Emma Lawson

Bearcats meet host South Carolina, Va. Tech and Syracuse

SCHEDULE OF GAMES

Friday, Feb. 6
Binghamton vs. Syracuse. 10 a.m. Live Stats
Binghamton vs. No. 19 Virginia Tech. 12:30 p.m. Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 7
Binghamton vs. Syracuse. 10 a.m. Live Stats
Binghamton vs. No. 19 Virginia Tech. 12:30 p.m. Live Stats

Sunday, Feb. 8
Binghamton @ No. 12 South Carolina. 12:30 p.m. Live Stats. Live Video (SEC+)

STORY LINES

- Binghamton opens its 25th season as a NCAA Division I program and a member of the America East Conference. The Bearcats went 36-14 (16-2 AE) last year and swept both the conference regular-season and tournament championships. Binghamton then earned the three seed at the NCAA Oregon Regional.

- In the America East Preseason Poll, Binghamton was the unanimous pick to place first out of six teams. In addition, the Bearcats were ranked No. 16 in the D1Softball.com Preseason Poll.

- During its quarter century in the America East, Binghamton has won the conference championship twice (2015 & 2025) and the regular-season title four times (2016, 2017, 2024 & 2025). In addition, the Bearcats have advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice (2015 & 2025). 

- Three Binghamton players are ranked among the Top 100 Mid-Major Players by D1Softball.com. They include senior pitcher Brianna Roberts (No. 39), junior catcher Elisa Allen (No. 48) and senior first baseman Emma Lawson (No. 69). 

- The Bearcats also have seven preseason all-conference players on their roster. In addition to Roberts, Allen and Lawson, there is junior outfielder Maddy Dodig, senior pitcher Olivia Kennedy, sophomore infielder Rachel Carey and redshirt junior infielder Akira Kopec..

- Binghamton has the reigning America East Player, Pitcher and Rookie of the Year in Allen, Roberts and Carey respectively. All three of them also earned NFCA All-Northeast Region honors in 2025 as did Lawson. 

- Fifth-year head coach Jess Bump has been named the America East Coach of the Year the past two seasons and has posted a 122-75 record at her alma mater. She was a two-time, first-team all-conference infielder with the Bearcats and graduated in 2014.

- Binghamton faces a pair of nationally-ranked teams as well as three Power 4 Conference opponents during its first weekend of the 2026 campaign. The No. 19 Hokies and Syracuse both compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) while the No. 12 Gamecocks are part of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

- Syracuse finished 27-22 (6-18 ACC) and posted a No. 74 final RPI ranking. In the ACC Preseason Poll, the Orange were picked 14th out of 15 teams.

- Syracuse holds a 20-3 lead in the all-time series since the Bearcats moved up to the NCAA Division I level. Most recently, the two teams split a doubleheader on April 19, 2023 at the Bearcats Sports Complex. The Orange won the first game 4-2 but the Bearcats got even with a 12-3 victory in the nightcap. Current redshirt junior second baseman Akira Kopec drove in three runs in the second game.

- Virginia Tech finished 43-13 (18-6 ACC) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In the ACC Preseason Poll, the Hokies were picked fourth out of 15 teams.

- Virginia Tech holds a 2-0 all-time lead in the series against Binghamton. The Hokies swept a 9-1, 12-0 home doubleheader back on March 19, 2019.

- South Carolina went 44-17 (13-11 SEC) in 2025 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Gamecocks won their home NCAA Regional and took host UCLA to a third and deciding game in the Super Regional round. In the SEC Preseason Poll, South Carolina was picked 10th out of 15 teams. 

- This marks the first-ever softball meeting between the Bearcats and Gamecocks.

- The last time Binghamton faced a pair of nationally-ranked teams at the same tournament was at last year's Florida/Bubbly Invitational (Feb. 13-15). The host Gators were ranked second while Duke was No. 12. Binghamton faced both teams on the same day (Feb. 14).






 
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