MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris has announced a 40-game schedule with includes a 21-game UMAC slate and 15 games played in the span of a week in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The season gets underway with back-to-back doubleheaders on Feb. 23 and 24. The Cougars open at the Dundas Dome in Northfield, Minn. against Macalester College on Feb. 23 at 6 and 8 p.m. The following day, Minnesota Morris will stop off at the St. Cloud State Dome to face Concordia College-Moorhead in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

The season continues in South Carolina from March 10-17 as Minnesota Morris faces a gauntlet of 15 games in eight days – including two against NCAA Division II opposition. The Cougars will travel to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break and play at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The trip opens on March 10 against Stevenson University and Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham. The following day the Cougars will take on the University of Maine-Presque Isle and Gwynedd Mercy University. On March 12, Minnesota Morris starts the day with Division II Mansfield University before taking on William Peace University. March 13 brings matchups with Kenyon College and Division II Fairmont State University. Following an off day on March 14, UMN Morris is back with a tripleheader on March 15 with Clarks Summit University, Thiel College, and SUNY Poly. As the trip winds to a close, the Cougars will face the University of Mount Saint Vincent and SUNY Delhi on March 16 and Keene State University and Vermont State University-Castleton on March 17.

From there on out, it's all UMAC play for the Cougars. Minnesota Morris will play each UMAC foe three times, with the first game of the series slated as a single game, followed by a doubleheader the next day. Conference play starts at Crown College on March 22-23. The Cougars then make their home debut against the University of Northwestern on March 28-29.

In the month of April, Minnesota Morris opens on the road at Northland College (April 5-6) and Martin Luther College (April 12-13). The Cougars then finish their home slate with the University of Wisconsin-Superior (April 20-21) and Bethany Lutheran College (April 26-27).

The regular season concludes in Minneapolis at North Central University on May 3-4. The top four teams in the UMAC standings at the conclusion of the regular season will advance to the UMAC Tournament from May 9-11 at the home of the regular-season champion.

Minnesota Morris will look to make a leap this season, returning 13 players from last year's team including eight who regularly started. The Cougars went 14-25 overall and 8-13 in the UMAC a season ago and bring in seven first-year players who should provide an immediate jolt both at the plate and in the pitcher's circle.