PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Fans and alumni will get a chance on Oct. 14 to see the new look women’s basketball team, led by Coach Fred Batchelor. Before then, the Hawks announced its 2016-17 basketball schedule featuring multiple Power Conference foes and 11 contests inside the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.
“We realize it’s going to be a tough nonconference schedule,” said Batchelor, who is entering his 13th season with the Hawks. “We’re playing major conferences with a young team, but I think it will make us battle-tested for league play.”
On Nov. 3, Maryland Eastern Shore hosts nearby Salisbury in their final tune-up before the regular season.
On Nov. 11, the Hawks meet Cheyney (Pa.) for the third consecutive season inside the Hytche Center. The previous four meeting have went in favor of the Hawks.
Five days later (Nov. 16), Batchelor’s bunch goes to College Park, Md. where the high-powered Maryland Terrapins await.
On Nov. 19, the Hawks travel to Baltimore to meet in-state rival UMBC for the ninth straight year. UMBC has won the previous two meetings; however, Maryland Eastern Shore defeated the Retrievers in their last visit at the RAC.
On Nov. 21, Maryland Eastern Shore’s road trip continues in the Tar Heel State where they will take on the NC State Wolfpack for the first time in the program’s history.
After returning from Thanksgiving Break (Nov. 29), the Hawks close out the month with a home date against UNC-Greensboro.
On Dec. 4, Maryland Eastern Shore opens the month in Greenville, N.C. against the East Carolina Pirates. Both squads will square off for the first time since the 1999-00 season.
Three days later (Dec. 7), the Hawks meet in-state foe Mount St. Mary’s for the seventh straight year in Emmitsburg, Md.
On Dec. 16-17, Batchelor’s group goes to Boca Raton, Fla. where they will take part in the Florida Atlantic (FAU) Holiday Tournament. The club begins the four-team tourney with St. Francis (Pa.) before facing either the host team, FAU, or Jackson State.
Before the Christmas holidays (Dec. 21), the squad heads to Charlottesville, Va. to face the Virginia Cavaliers.
On Dec. 30, the Hawks finish 2016 in Spartanburg, S.C. against USC-Upstate for the fourth consecutive year dating back to the 2013-14 season.
Maryland Eastern Shore opens the New Year with conference play at North Carolina Central (Jan. 7) before meeting North Carolina A&T State (Jan. 9).
On Jan. 14, the club returns to the Hytche Center where the Howard Lady Bison await.
Then, Batchelor’s squad goes back to the Sunshine State to square off against Bethune-Cookman (Jan. 21) and Florida A&M (Jan. 23).
Maryland Eastern Shore closes the month with consecutive home contests versus South Carolina State (Jan. 28) and Savannah State (Jan. 30).
On Feb. 1, the team hits the road to Hampton, Va. to meet the Hampton Lady Pirates.
After a quick tour in Virginia, Maryland Eastern Shore returns home to take on in-state rival Coppin State (Feb. 4).
A week later (Feb. 11), the Hawks travel back to Virginia with a date against Norfolk State.
Batchelor’s club begins a three-game home stretch with a rematch versus Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 13), followed by dates with North Carolina Central (Feb. 18) and North Carolina A&T State (Feb. 20).
On Feb. 25, the Hawks travel on route 13 for their annual matchup against Delaware State before heading to our Nation’s Capital for their final road test against Howard (Feb. 27).
On March 2, Maryland Eastern Shore closes the regular season with a home date against in-state foe Morgan State.
Four days later, Maryland Eastern Shore travels to Norfolk to compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament inside the Norfolk Scope Arena. The six-day event concludes Saturday, March 11 with the winner receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.