Austin Peay State University Softball Kicks Off 2026 Season at UWG Opening Weekend

The Governors face Georgia State, Drexel, and host West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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The Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team opens its 2026 season at the five-game UWG Opening Weekend, Friday-Sunday, at University Field in Carrollton, Georgia. The tournament field features Georgia State, Drexel, and host West Georgia. Led by eighth-year head coach Kassie Stanfill, the Governors are coming off a 2025 season in which they tied the program record with 39 wins and secured a record 14 ASUN victories.

Why it matters

The Governors return 13 athletes from last year's record-breaking team, including ASUN Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Brie Howard and Preseason All-ASUN selection Kiley Hinton. This opening weekend tournament will be an early test for APSU as they look to build on their success and make another run at the ASUN title.

The details

The Governors open the tournament on Friday with a 4:00pm (CT) matchup against Georgia State, followed by a 6:30pm game against host West Georgia. On Saturday, APSU takes on Drexel at 1:30pm and then faces West Georgia again at 6:30pm. The team's first weekend concludes on Sunday with a 2:00pm contest against West Georgia.

  • The tournament runs from Friday, February 6 through Sunday, February 8, 2026.
  • APSU's first game is on Friday at 4:00pm (CT) against Georgia State.
  • The Governors' final game of the weekend is on Sunday at 2:00pm against West Georgia.

The players

Kassie Stanfill

The eighth-year and all-time winningest head coach in Austin Peay softball history.

Brie Howard

ASUN Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Preseason All-ASUN Team selection, an outfielder for the Governors.

Kiley Hinton

Preseason all-conference selection and infielder for the Governors, a two-year starter in the APSU infield.

Katie Raper

Started all 50 games she appeared in for the Governors, with 14 home runs - the second-most in program history.

Georgia State

One of the teams competing in the UWG Opening Weekend tournament.

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What’s next

The Austin Peay State University softball team hits the road for the Carl Vincent Insurance Invitational, February 13th-15th, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. There, the APSU Govs will face host McNeese State, Lamar, and Illinois-Chicago.

The takeaway

After a record-breaking 2025 season, the Austin Peay State University softball team is poised for another strong campaign in 2026. With key returning players like Brie Howard and Kiley Hinton, the Governors will look to build on their success and make a deep run in the ASUN conference.