Softball Announces 2026 Schedule

Canisius head softball coach Joe Gierlak announced the Golden Griffins' 2026 schedule, a 50-game slate set to start Feb. 13, when the Blue and Gold travels to take part in the UT Chattanooga Challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Griffs will officially open the 46th season in program history Feb. 13, with a pair of neutral site games against Ohio and Middle Tennessee. On Feb. 14, the Canisius will play Bellarmine and the host Chattanooga Mocs on the second day of the three-day event, and the team will close out the program's first trip to Chattanooga, Tenn., on Feb. 15, with a single-game against the host Mocs.

The weekend of Feb. 20-22 has the Griffs traveling to Greensboro, N.C., to take part in the UNCG Invitational. Canisius' final non-conference tournament of the 2026 campaign is set for March 6-8, when the team plays in the Marshall March Madness event in Huntington, W.Va. There, Canisius will play two neutral site games against Akron, a neutral site game against Howard and a road game against the host Marshall Thundering Herd.

Canisius opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play March 14-15 with a three-game series at Sacred Heart. Last season, the Griffs defeated the Pioneers three times, including when the teams met in the single-game elimination round of the 2025 MAAC Softball Championship in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

After a non-league road doubleheader at cross-town rival Buffalo on March 18, Canisius will head to play a three-game league series at Merrimack March 21-22. On March 24, Canisius opens the home portion of the 2026 schedule when Siena travels to Buffalo for a mid-week doubleheader. The Siena series starts a five-game homestand for the Blue and Gold, which also features a weekend league series against Fairfield (March 28-29).

The month of April begins with seven-straight road games for the Griffs, beginning at long-time rival St. Bonaventure April 1. The Blue and Gold return to league play April 3-4 with a three-game set at Saint Peter's, and then after the Easter holiday break, the Griffs will play a MAAC twinbill at Iona on April 7.

Twelve of the Griffs' final 17 regular-season games will be played at the Demske Sports Complex, beginning April 11-12 when the team hosts a three-game league series with Mount St. Mary's. Canisius' final MAAC road series of the season will be played at Rider April 18-19. Canisius will host Edinboro for a non-league doubleheader on April 21, where the Griffs take on the Fighting Scots of Edinboro, who are coached by Gierlak's father, Dan. That weekend (April 25-26), Canisius hosts defending MAAC champion Marist for a three-game league series before heading on the road to Moon Township, Pa., to play a non-league doubleheader at Robert Morris on April 28.

Canisius will wrap-up the regular season at home with a three-game league series against long-time rival Niagara. The Griffs and Purple Eagles will play a pair of games on May 1 and then close out the 2026 regular season on May 2 with a single-game, set to start at noon.

The 2026 MAAC Softball Championship is scheduled to be played May 6-9, on the campus of the league's regular-season champion. The winner of the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship tournament title will earn the conference's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Championship.

SUPPORT THE GRIFFS
Support the Canisius softball team in conjunction with the "More Than A Game" campaign. Your donation to the softball program helps our student-athletes continue to be champions in the community, in the classroom and in competition. To donate, CLICK HERE.

Like Canisius Athletics on Facebook
Follow @GoGriffs and @GriffsSoftball on X
Follow @GoGriffs and @GriffsSoftball on Instagram

Print Friendly Version