The Valpo softball program announced its schedule for the upcoming 2023 campaign on Thursday, a slate which features 14 home games at the Valpo Softball Complex.

Valpo will open the 2023 season, its first under head coach Meaggan Pettipiece, at the DePaul Dome Tournament in Rosemont, Ill., where the Beacons will face Saint Louis, Western Illinois, Bowling Green and Eastern Kentucky in addition to the host Blue Demons Feb. 9-11.

After a weekend away from competition, Valpo heads to the Sunshine State for five games at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla. Feb. 24-26. A matchup with Notre Dame is the highlight of that weekend of action, which also includes games against Siena, FIU, UT Martin and Oakland.

The pre-conference schedule continues March 3-5 at the Bellarmine Round Robin in Louisville, Ky., as Valpo takes on Eastern Illinois three times and Bellarmine twice over the course of the weekend. A three-game series over two days March 11-12 at Eastern Kentucky wraps up action before the start of MVC play, while Valpo will also step out of conference play for a home game against Western Michigan (March 22) and road games at Purdue Fort Wayne (March 29) and Northern Illinois (April 11, doubleheader).

The Missouri Valley Conference slate will have a different look to it this season on multiple fronts. As all 12 MVC institutions sponsor softball, teams will only play nine of a possible 11 opponents in conference play. Eight three-game weekend series will now be spread over three days Friday-Sunday, while a ninth series will be played over three separate days in midweek action.

Valpo will open MVC play March 17-19 at Southern Illinois and will also hit the road for three-game sets at Murray State (April 7-9), Bradley (April 14-16) and UNI (April 28-30). The Beacons’ Valley home opener comes against Illinois State (March 24-26), with home series at the Valpo Softball Complex against Missouri State (March 31-April 2) and Drake (April 21-23) as well before the regular season concludes at home against Indiana State (May 5-7). Valpo’s three-game series against UIC will consist of a home game April 19 and road games in Chicago April 4 and April 25.

The 2023 MVC Tournament is scheduled to be contested in Carbondale, Ill. May 10-13, with the tournament champion earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.