DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Laura Watten’s return to the Bethune-Cookman University softball dugout will take place Friday, Feb. 6 when the Wildcats face UNC-Greensboro at the College of Charleston Invitational during their 2015 season opener.

The 2015 softball slate includes non-conference games with the 2014 NCAA Women’s College World Series finalist Florida State Seminoles, Syracuse, Ole Miss and Purdue, in addition to hosting the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament May 7-10, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex in Ormond Beach, Florida.

Watten, who guided the Wildcats to a 2005 NCAA Super Regional appearance and five MEAC titles, is back at Bethune-Cookman after coaching at the University of Maryland for the past nine seasons.

Bethune-Cookman’s schedule starts off with tournaments at the College of Charleston, Jacksonville, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, Florida Atlantic, and concludes with a tournament in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount – a program tradition that allows the families of many of the California-dominated Wildcats roster to see games in person.

The first home game at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach will be a twilight doubleheader on March 11, against Butler beginning at 5 p.m. The Wildcats will also host UCF, in addition to MEAC Southern Division series against South Carolina State (April 3-4), North Carolina A&T (April 18-19) and the regular season finale against archrival Florida A&M (May 2-3).