Williamsburg, KY – With opening day quickly approaching, Head Coach Bruce Lenington and the University of the Cumberlands Softball team have officially announced their schedule for the 2026 season. The upcoming campaign will mark Lenington's first year at the helm as the Patriots prepare for a demanding slate featuring multiple early-season tournaments, a strong home schedule inside the UC Softball Complex, and another competitive Mid-South Conference run. 

Cumberlands enters the 2026 season following a 40-9 campaign in 2025, highlighted by an undefeated Mid-South Conference regular season and a conference tournament championship. The Patriots advanced to the NAIA Opening Round and earned a berth to the NAIA final site for the third straight year. 

The Patriots will open the season at home by hosting the Frost Bite Classic at the UC Softball Complex. Action begins Friday, February 6, with UC taking on Madonna University at 2:00 p.m. before facing the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) at 4:00 p.m. The weekend continues Saturday, February 7, with a morning matchup against Madonna University at 11:30 a.m. and a 4:30 p.m. contest against Saint Francis. 

UC will remain at home the following weekend to host the Patriots Classic, beginning Friday, February 13. The Pats will face Midway University at 9:00 a.m. and the University of Northwestern Ohio at 4:30 p.m. Friday's action continues Saturday, February 14, with rematches against Midway University at 11:00 a.m. and Northwestern Ohio at 3:30 p.m. The Patriots will close the Classic on Sunday, February 15, with games against Indiana Tech at 2:00 p.m. and Milligan University at 4:30 p.m. 

Cumberlands will continue its home stand with a three-game series against the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) on Friday, February 20, with games scheduled for 2:00 and 4:30 p.m., before closing the series Saturday, February 21, at noon. The Patriots will then host Tennessee Wesleyan University in a midweek matchup on Tuesday, February 24, with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. 

UC will hit the road for the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia, beginning Friday, February 27. The Patriots will open tournament play against the University of Mobile at 3:30 p.m., followed by United States Sports University at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, February 28, UC will face Thomas University at noon and the College of Coastal Georgia at 5:00 p.m. The event concludes Sunday, March 1, with an 11:00 a.m. matchup against Faulkner University. 

Following the NFCA Leadoff, the Patriots will travel to Mobile, Alabama, to face the University of Mobile on Thursday, March 5, before heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama, for the Gulf Coast Invitational. UC will take on William Carey University and LSU Alexandria on Friday, March 6, followed by Texas A&M–San Antonio and Central Methodist University on Saturday, March 7. Tournament play wraps up Sunday, March 8, against Morningside College. 

Mid-South Conference play begins on the road for the Patriots with a three-game series at Campbellsville University on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14. UC will then return home to open conference play inside the UC Softball Complex against Lindsey Wilson University on Friday, March 20, before concluding the series Saturday, March 21. 

Cumberlands will continue MSC action on the road at Freed-Hardeman University on March 27–28, followed by a non-conference road series at Georgia Gwinnett College on April 3–4. The Patriots will then travel to Barbourville, Kentucky, for a midweek doubleheader against Union College on Tuesday, April 7. 

The Pats return home to host Georgetown College in a Mid-South Conference series on April 10–11, before welcoming Bethel University to the UC Softball Complex on April 17–18. UC will then close its home schedule with a midweek road trip to Johnson University on April 21. 

Cumberlands will wrap up the regular season with a Mid-South Conference road series at Cumberland University on April 24–25. 

Postseason play will begin with the Mid-South Conference Tournament, scheduled for April 30 through May 3. The NAIA Opening Round is slated for May 11–14, with the NAIA World Series set to take place May 20–27. 

For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram @UCPatriots, TikTok @ucpatriots, YouTube Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.