NIAGARA, UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara University baseball team has announced its schedule for the 2016 season. Highlights of the Purple Eagles’ 2016 schedule include matchups with ACC, Big Ten and SEC opponents.
“My goal in putting together such a challenging schedule was to expose this group of young men to teams who would competitively prepare us to play well against the best teams in our conference,” said head coach Rob McCoy. “The players are excited and looking forward to going toe to toe with some of the best teams in the country.”
The Purple Eagles start the season on Friday, Feb. 19 in Vero Beach, Florida as part of the Historic Dodgertown Classic. During the Classic, Niagara will matchup with Pittsburgh (Feb. 19, Feb. 21), Ohio State (Feb. 20) and Toledo (Feb. 20). Niagara last met Pittsburgh and Toledo during the Panther Classic in March 2013; the Purple Eagles dropped two games to Toledo and split with Pittsburgh. This will be the first-ever matchup between the Purple Eagles and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Next, the Purple Eagles will travel to North Carolina to take on North Carolina Central (Feb. 26- 28) in Durham and Western Carolina (March 1-2) in Cullowhee. The Purple Eagles swept a three-game series with North Carolina Central when they last met in Feb. 2014. Niagara will also play North Carolina State (March 5), Alabama (March 6) and Notre Dame (March 7) in Cary, N.C. as part of the USA Baseball Irish Classic.
Niagara continues its road trip from March 10 through April 5. The Purple Eagles will play a three-game series against Brigham Young University (March 10-12) in Provo, Utah and then will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (March 18-20) in State College, Pennsylvania and the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in Olean, N.Y. on March 22.
The Purple Eagles open MAAC play at Siena (March 25-26) and then head to Saint Peter’s (April 2-3) and Buffalo (April 5) before playing their first home games of the season against Marist (April 9-10) and St. Bonaventure (April 12).
Niagara will hit the road once again and head to Connecticut to matchup with Fairfield on April 16 and 17. The Purple Eagles, then, head back home for a three-game series with Rider April 23 and 24, travel to Iona April 30 and May 1 and take on Manhattan College (May 7-8) at home.
The Purple Eagles matchup with Boston College in Boston on May 14 and 15 and then head home to finish out their season against Big 4 rival Buffalo (May17) and Canisius (May 21-22).
The 2016 MAAC Championships will take place May 25- 29 at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. for the second year in a row. Manhattan College will be the host institution.
