For the Gazette
STEVENS POINT – The schedule for UW-Stevens Point softball’s 2022 season has been released, head coach Ryan Konitzer announced. The Pointers will play 10 home games at McCarty Memorial Field beginning on Mar. 31.

The season begins on February 18 as the Pointers take on Marian in the Hodag Dome in Rhinelander. The next day, UWSP returns to Rhinelander for a twin bill versus St. Norbert.

On Mar. 3, the Pointers will be in Peoria, IL., for the Mount Mary Collegiate Slugger Series. UWSP will play twice on the third and twice more on the fourth. The season-opening road trip concluded with 12 games in Florida against yet-to-be-determined opponents in the annual Spring Trip from Mar. 18 through Mar. 24.

UWSP’s home opener is slated for Mar. 31 at 2:00 p.m. against Lakeland. The Pointers jumped right into league play a few days later with a home doubleheader against UW-La Crosse on April 3.

Following a weekend trip to Iowa, the Pointers hosted back-to-back conference twin bills versus UW-Stout and UW-Platteville on April 15 and 16.

UWSP plays three-straight road league opponents before returning home on April 30 for the regular season finale versus UW-River Falls.

Last season, the Pointers finished 23-16 and reached the WIAC Tournament semifinals. Maddie Candre (St. Charles, IL) leads a quartet of returning all-conference players for the Pointers. Candre was the WIAC Player of the Year in 2021. First-team selections Becca Geiyer (Grayslake, IL) and Makenna Tkach (Streator, IL) are set to return along with honorable mention pick Sara Traxel (Oak Creek).