MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alcorn Softball travels to Montgomery, Alabama, this weekend as the Braves settle in to play fives games as part of the HBCU Celebration Classic hosted by Alabama State. The games will take place at Barbara Williams Softball Complex on the Alabama State campus, as well as Lagoon Park Sports Complex across the three-day event.
 
The official HBCU Celebration Classic website can be accessed here.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 20
11:30 a.m. – vs. Mississippi Valley State | Lagoon Park Sports Complex | Live Stats | Tickets | Fan Guide
6 p.m. – at Alabama State | Barbara Williams Softball Complex | Live Stats | Watch | Tickets | Fan Guide
 
Saturday, Feb. 21
2 p.m. – vs. Jackson State | Lagoon Park Sports Complex | Live Stats | Tickets | Fan Guide
4:30 p.m. – vs. Tuskegee | Lagoon Park Sports Complex | Live Stats | Tickets | Fan Guide
 
Sunday, Feb. 22
10 a.m. – vs. Miles | Lagoon Park Sports Complex | Live Stats | Tickets | Fan Guide
 
ADMISSIONS
Tickets for the HBCU Celebration Classic can be purchased by clicking here.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Softball this season by following the Braves social media platforms. You can follow @BravesSports on X/Twitter and @AlcornSports on Instagram.
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ The Braves are batting .298 as a team thus far on the campaign, including a .442 slugging percentage.
▪ Chiara Olison is atop the team in batting average (.462), while Ka'Miya Dillon is tied atop the squad with 10 hits.
▪ Alongside Dillon in double figures for hits is Yahnya Acevedo, this week's Magnolia Bluffs Student-Athlete of the Week on the women's side for Alcorn Athletics.
▪ Five different players have hot home runs, including two from Acevedo.
▪ Olivia Miller and Olison have registered two doubles apiece at the dish.
▪ Olison also owns a 7.40 ERA to go along with a 3-2 record in the pitcher's circle across six appearances for the Purple and Gold.
▪ Alainah Felton has a 1-1 record in the circle, adding seven strikeouts and a team-low 2.55 ERA.
▪ Karmen Bernard carries a .438 batting average to go along with seven RBIs and a .526 on-base percentage for the Braves.
 
HISTORY
▪ Against Mississippi Valley State, the Delta Devilettes actually hold a 69-41 advantage in the series. However, it is the Braves that have captured six of the lasts even in the series.
▪ Alabama State holds a 25-17 edge in the all-time series against the Braves. The Hornets have won four of the last five outings, respectfully.
▪ Alcorn owns a 2-1 record against Tuskegee all-time, with the last meeting being a 6-1 decision in favor of the Braves back in 2024.
▪ Alcorn is 3-1 against Miles throughout history, as the Braves took a 10-9 win from the Bears in the last meeting occurring in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH BILLIE
"We're really excited about the opportunity to compete in the HBCU Celebration Classic this weekend. Any time you can bring together so many talented programs from our community in one place, it's something special. Alabama State has done a tremendous job putting this event together, and we're grateful to be a part of it."
 
"This is going to test our depth and our mental toughness. Five games in three days is a grind, and we know that. But I think it's also a great opportunity for us to get a lot of our girls meaningful at-bats and innings on the mound. We'll find out a lot about ourselves by Sunday."
 
"Events like this are bigger than softball. It's about representing Alcorn State University, representing our HBCU community, and showing the country what we bring to the table. Our players take a lot of pride in that, and you'll see it in how they play."
 
"We want to leave Montgomery with wins, absolutely. But more than that, we want to leave playing our best softball – competing hard, swinging the bat, throwing strikes, and playing clean defense. If we do those things, the wins will eventually take care of themselves along the course of the season."
 
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE (0-4, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Taliyah Riddick-Waters (2nd season)
2026 Batting Average: .173; Runs Per Game: 0.0; Hits Per Game: 3.3; Slugging Percentage: .173
2026 ERA: 16.73; K/BB Ratio: 0.3; Opp. Batting Avg: .477
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE (3-9, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Camise Patterson (2nd season)
2026 Batting Average: .291; Runs Per Game: 4.4; Hits Per Game: 6.7; Slugging Percentage: .433
2026 ERA: 7.77; K/BB Ratio: 0.5; Opp. Batting Avg: .392
 
SCOUTING JACKSON STATE (4-4, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kevin Montgomery (8th season)
2026 Batting Average: .370; Runs Per Game: 9.5; Hits Per Game: 10.0; Slugging Percentage: .477
2026 ERA: 6.90; K/BB Ratio: 0.9; Opp. Batting Avg: .370
 
SCOUTING TUSKEGEE (4-4, 0-0 SIAC)
Head Coach: Dietrich Randle
2026 Batting Average: .293; Runs Per Game: 4.5; Hits Per Game: 7.5; Slugging Percentage: .454
2026 ERA: 2.72; K/BB Ratio: 2.2; Opp. Batting Avg: .273
 
SCOUTING MILES (5-7, 0-0 SIAC)
Head Coach: Patrick Peasant
2026 Batting Average: .295; Runs Per Game: 4.1; Hits Per Game: 6.3; Slugging Percentage: .406
2026 ERA: 6.78; K/BB Ratio: 0.7; Opp. Batting Avg: .321
 
UP NEXT
Alcorn welcomes Dillard (La.) to Lorman, Mississippi, for the 2026 home opener in a doubleheader non-conference tilt on Tuesday, Feb. 24, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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