The SLU Billikens went 30-25 last season and will play 18 home games this season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Nora Nichols
Staff Writer
ST. LOUIS, MO — The Saint Louis University athletics department released the 2024 women’s softball schedule last week.
Saint Louis will play a 52-game slate, beginning February 10, when the Billikens will open the season with a three-game series in Ruston, La., against Louisiana Tech.
SLU will play a series of road and neutral site games in February, before beginning its home schedule in March.
Four Atlantic 10 Conference opponents visit the Billiken Sports Center for three-game series against the defending regular-season champion Billikens, including 2023 A-10 Championship participants Rhode Island and Dayton. Also on the home docket are single games vs. local rivals Lindenwood and SIUE.
The Billikens take on 2023 Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion and NCAA Tournament qualifier Eastern Illinois and Mid-American Conference regular-season runner-up Ohio in tournaments at Western Kentucky and Austin Peay, respectively. A contest at OVC regular-season champion Southeast Missouri State also is scheduled.
“We’re excited for the challenge of our 2024 schedule,” SLU head coach Christy Connoyer said. “We have been training skills as well as competitiveness since arriving on campus in August, and we’re looking forward to putting our preparation to the test soon. We learned a lot from our fall season about areas of strength and areas to improve, and we now have a fresh season ahead of us to embrace those areas.
“In terms of scheduling, we challenge ourselves early to prepare for A-10 play and give our team opportunities to compete at a high level,” Connoyer said. “Team travel also helps build camaraderie off the field, which ultimately carries onto the field for a team mentality of playing for each other. We’re excited to see this team continue to grow and compete.”
In early-season tournament play, SLU faces three opponents each at Tennessee State’s Roar City Invitational, February 16-18 and Western Kentucky’s Hilltopper Classic, February 23-25, while four opponents await the Bills at the Austin Peay Tournament, March 1-3.
Saint Louis begins its 18-game home schedule with a three-game set vs. St. Thomas (Minn.) March 9-10, followed by a single game vs. Western Illinois March 13. The busy home-opening week concludes with Massachusetts in town March 16-17 for the season’s first A-10 series, while conference rival Saint Joseph’s comes to the Billiken Sports Center for three games March 23-24.
“Our home schedule, especially in March, will be a great opportunity for fans to see this 2024 team in action,” Connoyer said.
The Billikens’ next two A-10 series are on the road vs. George Washington March 29-30 and St. Bonaventure April 6-7, with an April 3 home matchup vs. Lindenwood in between. Rhode Island comes to Midtown April 13-14 before SLU hits the road to challenge 2023 A-10 Championship teams Loyola Chicago April 17 and George Mason April 20-21. George Mason reached the NCAA Championship after winning the league tournament.
The Billikens welcome SIUE to campus April 24 for their final non-conference game. The regular season concludes with series vs. 2023 A-10 Championship qualifiers Fordham (away, April 27-28) and Dayton (home, May 4-5).
The six-team, double-elimination A-10 Championship will be hosted by Fordham in The Bronx, N.Y., May 8-11.
SLU Billikens 2024 Softball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 10, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Away | Louisiana Tech | Ruston, La. | |
| February 10, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Away | Louisiana Tech | Ruston, La. | |
| February 11, 2024 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | Louisiana Tech | Ruston, La. | |
| February 16, 2024 (Friday) | 4 pm | Away | Tennessee State | Nashville, Tenn. | Roar City Invitational |
| February 16, 2024 (Friday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Tennessee-Martin | Nashville, Tenn. | Roar City Invitational |
| February 17, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Away | Tennessee State | Nashville, Tenn. | Roar City Invitational |
| February 17, 2024 (Saturday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Indiana State | Nashville, Tenn. | Roar City Invitational |
| February 18, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Neutral | Indiana State | Nashville, Tenn. | Roar City Invitational |
| February 23, 2024 (Friday) | 12:30 pm | Neutral | Eastern Illinois | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Hilltopper Classic |
| February 23, 2024 (Friday) | 5:30 pm | Away | Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Hilltopper Classic |
| February 24, 2024 (Saturday) | 10 am | Neutral | Eastern Illinois | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Hilltopper Classic |
| February 24, 2024 (Saturday) | 5:30 pm | Neutral | Detroit Mercy | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Hilltopper Classic |
| February 25, 2024 (Sunday) | 12:30 pm | Away | Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Hilltopper Classic |
| March 1, 2024 (Friday) | 1 pm | Neutral | Indiana State | Clarksville, Tenn. | Austin Peay Tournament |
| March 1, 2024 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | Austin Peay | Clarksville, Tenn. | Austin Peay Tournament |
| March 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 12:30 pm | Neutral | Ohio | Clarksville, Tenn. | Austin Peay Tournament |
| March 3, 2024 (Sunday) | 12:30 pm | Neutral | IUPUI | Clarksville, Tenn. | Austin Peay Tournament |
| March 3, 2024 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Away | Austin Peay | Clarksville, Tenn. | Austin Peay Tournament |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 10, 2024 (Sunday) | 11 am | Home | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 13, 2024 (Wednesday) | 1 pm | Home | Western Illinois | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 17, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 20, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5 pm | Away | Lindenwood | St. Charles, Mo. | |
| March 23, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 24, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | |
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 11 am | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C. | |
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 1 pm | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C. | |
| March 30, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 am | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C. | |
| April 3, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5 pm | Home | Lindenwood | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 am | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. | |
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. | |
| April 7, 2024 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. | |
| April 10, 2024 (Wednesday) | 4 pm | Away | Southeast Missouri State | Cape Girardeau, Mo. | |
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 14, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 17, 2024 (Wednesday) | 2 pm | Away | Loyola Chicago | Chicago, Ill. | |
| April 17, 2024 (Wednesday) | 4 pm | Away | Loyola Chicago | Chicago, Ill. | |
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 am | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 21, 2024 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 24, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5 pm | Home | SIUE | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 am | Away | Fordham | Bronx, N.Y. | |
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | Fordham | Bronx, N.Y. | |
| April 28, 2024 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | Fordham | Bronx, N.Y. | |
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 5, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 8, 2024 (Wednesday) | TBA | Neutral | Atlantic 10 Championship | Bronx, N.Y. | Atlantic 10 Conference Championship |
| May 17, 2024 (Friday) | TBA | Neutral | NCAA Regional | TBA | NCAA Regional |
| May 23, 2024 (Thursday) | TBA | Neutral | NCAA Super Regional | TBA | NCAA Super Regional |
| May 30, 2024 (Thursday) | TBA | Neutral | Women’s College World Series | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Women’s College World Series |