Rock Hill, S.C.— Winthrop softball heads to sunny Florida to open the 2021 season as it will take on Florida International and Florida Atlantic in the Feldburg's Invitational.
 
Game Info: Feldburg's Invitational | Miami, Fla. | Feb. 12-14, 2021
Stats: Winthrop | FIU| Florida Atlantic
Social: @Winthropsoftbal | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 12
Winthrop vs. Florida Atlantic, 12:30 p.m. | Live Stats 
Winthrop at FIU, 6 p.m. | Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 13
Winthrop vs. Florida Atlantic (doubleheader), 1 p.m. | Live Stats 
 
Sunday, Feb. 14
Winthrop at FIU, 10:30 a.m. | Live Stats 

WINTHROP EAGLES
Record: 0-0
Coach: Windy Thees
Career Record/Years: 446-373/16^th season
 
FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS
Record: 0-0
Coach: Joan Joyce
Career Record/Years: 973-612-1/27^th season
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 0-0
Coach: Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson
Career Record/Years: 444-337-2/13^th season
 
GLANCE AT THE EAGLES

• Eagles were 12-11 before the season came to a halt in 2020
• The offense was putting up solid numbers batting .261 and averaging 5.1 runs per game
• No Winthrop team had averaged five or more runs in a season since 2009
• Return seven starters and three of the top four batters from 2020
• Highlighting the returning core are seniors Ansley Gilreath and Ashley Westbrooks
• Gilreath led the team with a .391 average and was third on the team with 15 RBI
• Westbrooks led the team with 17 RBI last season and moved past 100 in her career
• The entire pitching staff returns led by senior Madyson Watson, who was 7-6 in the circle and had 13 RBI at the plate
• Team ended a four-game skid with a 4-2 win over Virginia that ignited a six-game win streak 

HEAD COACH WINDY THEES

• Head coach Windy Thees is in her third season at Winthrop and in her 17^th season as head coach of a collegiate softball program
• Spent five seasons at Georgia State & College compiling a 163-92 record followed by six years at Memphis (172-151) and three seasons at Ole Miss (69-94)
• In her 17 seasons she's compiled an overall record of 446-373 and a record of 283-281 at the helm of a D1 program
• Led Ole Miss to five wins over nationally-ranked opponents that included a 2-0 victory at #1 Florida in 2014
• In 2003 she led Georgia State & College to a runner-up finish in the Division II National Championship
• Thees was a four-year starter at Florida State as both a catcher and second baseman

RECORD BOOK WATCH

• Westbrooks enters the season with 111 career RBI and 7^th all-time
• She needs 35 to become the all-time leader in RBI at Winthrop
• Westbrooks and Gilreath are tied for 7^th all-time with 20 homeruns, two away from 6^th place
• Westbrooks is 14^th on the all-time hit list with 173 and 17 hits away from cracking the Top 10
• Westbrooks is also moving up the ranks in doubles with 34 in her career, which is tied for 8^th (four away from 7^th place)
• Watson is five wins away from the program's Top 10 and is also 37 strikeouts away from the Top 10 as well

UP NEXT
The Eagles remain in the state of Florida as they head to Jacksonville to take on the University of North Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m.
For everything Winthrop softball visit www.winthropeagles.com or follow us on social media @Winthropsoftbal, winthropsoftball (Instagram) or www.facebook.com/Winthrop-Softball.