SARASOTA, Fla. - NCF Softball (16-1, 3-0) will look to continue its hot stretch Wednesday when it welcomes Montreat University (9-9, 3-5) to campus for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. EST.
The matchup features NCF head coach Corbin Weeks' former team, as before taking over as head coach of the Mighty Banyans in June of 2025, Weeks spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as head coach of the Cavalries.
"I am really excited to see my former assistants and players. Montreat was an incredible place where we were able to grow our family and careers," Weeks said ahead of the matchup. "I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish in 2024 and 2025 and to see coach [Kelsey] Long carry on the tradition of success for the Cavaliers."
In his time at Montreat, Weeks orchestrated the largest single-season turnaround in NAIA Softball history (DakStats era).
Weeks led Montreat to a 31-19 record in his debut season of 2024, marking a record-breaking 21-game turnaround. The historic turnaround season saw Montreat finish in the Top 25 in the NAIA in five offensive categories.
In 2025, Montreat posted a 33-16 record under Weeks' leadership, which was good for a top-three finish in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). During his two seasons at Montreat, Weeks' program posted a 64-35 record, broke 10 offensive records, landed multiple All-Conference and All-Region selections, and gained national recognition with players earning accolades such as NAIA Softball National Player of the Week and the 2025 AAC Freshman of the Year. Weeks also saw his players garner 3 NFCA All-Region selections and 2 AAC Champions of Character awards.
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- Weeks isn't the only Mighty Banyan with Montreat connections; NCF infielder Maya Moro and pitcher Kendall Rubel transferred from Montreat to NCF over the offseason, while assistant coach Hollie Cunningham played for the Cavalries under Weeks for each of his two seasons at the helm.
- Last Friday, NCF earned a sweep of Trinity College of Jacksonville on the road, winning Game 1 15-0 and Game 2 13-2. The Mighty Banyans have now won 10 straight games, winning each of its last four in five innings via the run-rule.
- Game 1 saw NCF use a nine-run top of the second to take control of Friday's opener, highlighted by a two-run double from Samantha Suarez, an RBI double from Mackenzie Mathers and RBI singles from Karyna Lewis, Sydney Rich and Rylie Harwood. The Mighty Banyans then added six insurance runs in the top of the fifth as Jill Halas lifted a sac-fly, Kaitlin Kohlenberg and Tori Goodell hit an RBI singles and Suarez hit an RBI double and Rich capped of a 3-for-3 day with a two-run home run. In the circle, Dani Ebert earned the win by tossing 4.0 innings of scoreless ball, in which she struck out three, while Jamie Reinhardt made her pitching debut as a Mighty Banyan by tossing a perfect bottom of the fifth to close things out.
- The Mighty Banyans jumped out to a 5-2 lead after three innings of Game 2 thanks to a five-run top of the third highlighted by a two-run double from Madison Garcia. In the top of the fourth, the Mighty Banyans added six more, highlighted by Garcia's second run-scoring double of the game and shortstop Kelsey Harper launching a three-run home run to launch her first homer as a Mighty Banyan, while in the top of the fifth, Cheyenne Waddel hit a pinch-hit RBI triple and Ashlynn Sentner hit an RBI single to make it 13-2. In the circle, Isabella Yazzetti earned the win by tossing 3.1 innings in which she did not allow an earned run and struck out three. Rich finished off the win by tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief in which she struck out two and did not allow a runner to reach base.
Up Next: vs. No. 10 Southeastern - March 12 and 13 - Sarasota, Fla.
