NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University’s softball team is heading to Peoria, Illinois. They will compete in their first Missouri Valley Conference road series against the Bradley Braves. The action kicks off with a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a game on Saturday.
Games start on Friday, March 20, at 2:30 p.m. CT at OSF Healthcare Field. You can catch all the games live on ESPN+, and stats will be available on BelmontBruins.com.
What’s Happening with the Bruins
- Belmont has a strong record of 18–7 and recently swept Evansville, including two shutouts.
- In their last game against No. 1 Tennessee, the Bruins held the Lady Vols to a narrow 1–0 win, marking the closest game for Tennessee this season.
- This year, Belmont has made history with significant wins over ranked SEC teams like No. 15 Georgia and No. 18 Mississippi State.
- Leading the team is redshirt senior Maya Johnson, boasting an impressive 12–1 record and 178 strikeouts. She recently crossed the milestone of 900 career strikeouts and leads the NCAA in total strikeouts.
- Johnson has claimed the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week title for six weeks in a row and has also received accolades from D1 Softball and NFCA, becoming the first to earn four national awards in a season.
- Returning players include five All-MVC honorees from last year: Johnson (Pitcher of the Year), Rylee Spindler (Freshman of the Year), Nicole Hughes, Maddy Balsiger, and Brenna Blume.
- Belmont was ranked first in the 2026 MVC Preseason Poll and holds a spot in D1 Softball’s Mid-Major Top 25, sitting at No. 7 lately.
- Rylee Spindler made a splash with a two-run homer in Belmont’s win over Georgia, while Madison Dolecki provided the game-winning hit against Mississippi State.
- Freshman Lizzie Ozim is making waves, ranked as the No. 10 hitter in the 64 Analytics Week Five rankings.
- Last season was a landmark for Belmont, wrapping up with a record of 41–16 and winning the MVC Tournament Championship for the first time.
- Head coach Laura Matthews is leading the team in her sixth season.
Against Bradley
Belmont has an 8–4 advantage over Bradley in their history, with their last meeting resulting in a win in May 2025.
Fans can keep up with Belmont Softball on social media @BelmontSoftball on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook. For all athletic updates, check out the Belmont Bruins app available for iOS and Android.
