SALEM, Va. – The final non-conference tournament of the season sends Villanova softball to the Moyer Sports Complex in Virginia for the Hokie Invite from Feb. 28-Mar. 2.

The Wildcats (5-8) will look to snap their losing streak this weekend, taking on No. 15 Virginia Tech in a Friday doubleheader before facing Robert Morris, Radford and Penn State to close the weekend.

MARANDA'S BEEN MASHING    
After a freshman year with just 12 appearances at the plate, the most important development of the young season has been the performance of sophomore Maranda Runco at the plate. The sophomore from the Scranton area leads the Wildcats in hits (13), batting average (.382), runs batted in (12) and total bases (22), accounting for three doubles and two home runs as the team's main designated player. Runco earned the league's opening Player of the Week honor after hitting safely in each of five games at the Aggie Classic, totaling a pair of two-hit outings with a pinch-hit grand slam against Purdue in addition to a couple of knocks against No. 9 Texas A&M.

KILLER KOBRYN    
Villanova's top option in the circle through the first three non-conference tournaments has been freshman right-hander Lexi Kobryn, who boasts the most appearances, innings and strikeouts on the staff. The New Jersey native owns a 2.29 ERA in eight appearances, picking up a trio of wins in the first two weekends and earning BIG EAST Pitcher & Freshman of the Week after two complete game shutouts at the Joan Joyce Classic. Kobryn has allowed opponents to hit just .235 against her, surrendering only seven extra base hits and 11 earned runs in 33.2 innings pitched. 

HEAR ABOUT THE HOKIES

• Virginia Tech accrued a 40-14-1 record last season en route to an NCAA Regional berth, falling to Grand Canyon in Los Angeles to finish out the year.
• The nation's No. 15 team this week with an overall record of 13-3, Virginia Tech started the year with eight straight wins before falling twice to No. 7 LSU and once to No. 21 Alabama in the last two weeks.
• 2024 NFCA Second Team All-American Cori McMillan returns after setting the VT single-season home run record with 21, and two-time All-ACC pitcher Emma Lemley spearheads the rotation with three no-hitters on her ledger this year.
• These squads have met 13 times historically as VT used to be members of the BIG EAST, and Villanova maintains a 9-4 edge over the Hokies. During Virginia Tech's time in the conference, Villanova managed an 8-0 mark against them in league play with a 4-0 record at VT home games, most recently in 2004.

CATCHING UP ON THE COLONIALS

• Robert Morris went 20-24 in 2024 but won 13 games in conference before falling in the Horizon League semifinals to close the campaign.
• The Colonials have played just two games in 2025 entering the week, seeing all of the Murray State Tournament and final two days at the Gardner-Webb Tournament ended due to weather. RMU owns wins over Iona and Sacred Heart in the first two outings, and will take on JMU in Harrisonburg on Thursday night before heading to the Hokie Invite.
• Jexx Varner is in his seventh year leading Robert Morris, whose roster returns a pair of all-league second teamers in Anna Resnik and Madison DeVault in addition to two all-freshman team selections.
• Villanova sits 4-1 against RMU, winning the first four matchups in the series before the Colonials captured the most recent matchup in 2014.

READING INTO RADFORD

• Radford finished last year just over .500 at 24-23, missing out on the Big South Tournament.
• The Highlanders stand at 6-9 in 2025, taking two of five (including a 3-1 win over VU opponent Louisville) at The Spring Games, emerging with a winning 3-2 record at the Pirate Classic and falling three times at the Liberty Invitational last week before losing to Tennessee in five innings on Wednesday.
• Former NFL player Kevin Fagan is in his first season as the head coach of the Highlanders, who return all-conference shortstop Rachel Smith as well as the Big South's opening Pitcher of the Week in Morgan Cooper.
• The 'Cats maintain a 1-2 record against Radford, the win coming in Virginia Beach in 2005 but the most recent tangling being a 3-1 loss in 2010.

NAVIGATING THE NITTANY LIONS

• Penn State went 35-20 last season, making it to NCAA Regionals for the first time in 13 years despite a first round Big Ten Tournament exit and falling to Texas State to close the year.
• The Nittany Lions own a 5-9 mark in 2025, losing four of five at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and three of five at a USF tournament before splitting at the LSU Invitational.
• Sophomore pitcher Bridget Nemeth earned the conference's Freshman of the Year last season but has only appeared once this season. Senior utility Maddie Gordon picked up a 2024 Second Team All-Region honor and three first-years earned recognition on multiple national freshman watch lists.
• The 'Cats own a 2-1 edge in the all-time series, both wins coming in 2020 at the Knights Classic with the lone loss in 2019. 

All five games will feature statistics courtesy of StatBroadcast, with video streaming available on MuscoVision for all five and a radio call for Friday's games on the Virginia Tech Sports Network.