The Francis Marion University men's and women's basketball teams will play host to North Greenville University for a key Conference Carolinas doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 18) as the school celebrates Homecoming 2023. The FMU baseball and softball teams will also be in action this weekend at the Griffin Athletic Complex.
The women's basketball game will tip-off at 2 p.m. in the Smith University Center, followed by the men's contest at 4 p.m. Admission to all events on Saturday will be free.
Fans can follow the game action with video and live stats at http://www.fmupatriots.com, courtesy of the Patriot Sports Network.
Saturday's sporting activities will begin at 11 a.m. with the Patriot Invitational Softball Tournament at the FMU Softball Stadium in the Griffin Athletic Complex. Ninth-ranked Adelphi University (0-0) will play 17th-ranked Kutztown University (2-1) at 11 a.m. and then FMU (7-1) will face Kutztown at 1 p.m. and Adelphi at 3 p.m.
The Patriot baseball team will open Conference Carolinas play by hosting Chowan University for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium in the Griffin Athletic Complex.
Homecoming activities will begin Saturday at noon with PatriotFest in the Smith University Center featuring music and entertainment, and an opportunity for alumni to interact. Tailgating (by reservation) will be available behind the Smith University Center beginning at 11 a.m.
Between games of the regularly scheduled basketball doubleheader, at approximately 3:45 p.m., former men's basketball player Marcel Boggs (1984-85, 1990-93), former women's soccer midfielder Angela Salem (2006-09), and former softball pitcher Michaela Wolf Lawson (2007-10) will be inducted into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Boggs, a product of Wilson High School, is being inducted posthumously after his battle with cancer ended in 2019. During his four years on the basketball court, he scored 1,392 points and grabbed 590 rebounds, while shooting an amazing 60.2 percent from the floor. A three-time All-Conference selection, he helped lead FMU to the program's only District Six championship that saw the Patriots advance to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
Salem lettered four years on the soccer field and was named the squad's MVP three times. She appeared in 59 career matches and tallied 11 goals and 27 assists. Following her time at FMU, she embarked on a 12-year career playing professional soccer. She was a member of two league championship squads, and in 2021 playing with the Portland Thorns, was named a finalist for the NWSL Most Valuable Player award and a member of the league's Best 11 first team.
Wolf was a 3-time All-Region selection, a 2-time All-Conference pick, and a first-team All-American in 2008. She also exceled in the classroom earning NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition three times. She ended her career holding the program records for pitching appearances (151), innings pitched (897.2), wins (92), complete games (108), shutouts (25), and strikeouts (755). She recorded a 92-43 pitching record with a 1.85 earned run average and batted .328 with 14 homers and 112 runs batted in. She helped lead the Patriots to the 2008 Division II College World Series in Houston, Texas.
The three will join 52 current members in the Hall of Fame, which was formed in 1991.
The 2023 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced at the conclusion of the men's basketball game.
The FMU women's basketball squad (18-6, 16-2) has won 16 games in a row, the fourth-longest streak in program history and fourth-longest active streak in NCAA Division II women's basketball. The Patriots are tied for second in the conference standings and only one game out of first place. North Greenville will enter the contest 5-18 overall and 5-12 in the league. FMU leads the all-time series 10-1 including a 25-point victory 11 days ago in Tigerville, S.C.
The Francis Marion men (13-10, 10-8) are tied for sixth place in the men's standings. Positions five and six host first-round conference tournament games next weekend. The Patriots will be looking for revenge against North Greenville (6-20, 4-14) which claimed a 10-point win earlier this month on its home floor.
