FARMVILLE — The 2013 Big South Champion Longwood University softball team will be honored during a special ring presentation on Saturday, October 5 at 11 a.m. at Lancer Field in Farmville. The team members will receive their Big South Championship rings prior to a doubleheader between this year’s Longwood squad and Richard Bland Community College, which is slated to begin at 11:30 a.m.

“Saturday is a celebration of the 2013 softball season,” said 17th-year head coach Kathy Riley. “We will honor the team for winning Longwood’s first Big South Championship, along with Brooke Short and Megan Baltzell for their outstanding individual performances. We would love to see as many of the local community, players’ family members and alumni attend as possible to show their appreciation.”

Longwood turned in a record setting year in 2013 en route to earning the school’s first ever Big South Conference Championship and the program’s first ever berth into the Division I NCAA Tournament. The team recorded an all-time best mark of 41-20 overall, securing its 16th consecutive 20-win campaign and its ninth 30+ win season with Riley at the helm, while also finishing 16-8 in conference action.

After dropping the first game of the Big South Tournament to sixth-seeded Liberty, 5-3, the No. 3 seed Lancers fought off elimination with four consecutive wins, including two against No. 2 Campbell, to advance to the championship game, in which they defeated host No. 5 seed Winthrop, 10-2, in five innings. As a team, the 2013 Lancers broke nine season records, while eight individual season records were broken, as well.

The special presentation will also include recognition of 2013 NFCA Division I All-American and Big South Conference Female Athlete of the Year Brooke Short, in addition to fellow All-American and NCAA Division I Home Run Champion Megan Baltzell.