SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Following a 40-win campaign last season, the Augustana softball team has announced their 2019 schedule. The Vikings will play 56 games during the 2019 season, including 16 at home and 40 road games.

The Vikings head to Houston, TX. to begin the season for the Arkansas Tech Winter Invite. The season-opening tournament will square the Vikings up with eight different teams over the course of four days. Starting with Texas A&M International and wrapping up the four-day event with a game vs. Arkansas Tech.  The next time Augustana steps to the plate the Vikings will be in Florida for 12 games, followed by St. Joeseph, Mo. for multiple games.

Augustana head coach Gretta Melsted is excited to get the 2019 season underway. "We are excited about the upcoming season," Melsted said. "We have a great, challenging schedule. We open with a bang down in Houston and are looking forward to being challenged by some of the best teams in the country right away."

After heading to Texas, the Vikings head to Florida, where they will play 12 games in six days. Starting with their first game on Mar. 8 against Gannon University and wrapping up the six-day trip against Millersville on Mar. 13.

The Vikings first crack at Bowden Field will be against travel partner, Wayne State. The doubleheader is scheduled for Wednesday, Mar. 27 and will begin at 3:00 p.m. with the second game to follow. The game vs. the Wildcats is one of the six straight the Vikings play at home before they head to Marshall, Minn. to take on Southwest Minnesota State on Apr. 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Following the game at SMSU, the Vikings continue road action for two more games, including  Minnesota State (Apr. 6) and Concordia-St. Paul on Apr. 7 at 12 p.m.

After the short road stint, Augustana then takes on eight NSIC opponents at Bowden Field. Starting with Winona State (Apr. 10) and closing out the eight-game stretch against crosstown rival, the University of Sioux Falls on Tuesday, April 16 at 3 p.m.

The last part of the regular season is spent split between home and away games. The four-game road clip is spent in Aberdeen, S.D. against Northern State (Apr. 19) and finished at MSU Moorhead on Apr. 20.

Back at Bowden Field, the Vikings square up with the Upper Iowa Peacocks for a doubleheader on Wednesday, Apr. 24 with a 3 p.m. start and the second game to follow.

Closing out the regular season, the Vikings head north to the University of Minnesota Crookston for two games vs. the Golden Eagles at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m (Apr. 27). Lastly, the Vikings travel down highway 2 to Bemidji State to take on the Beavers with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.

The 2019 NSIC tournament will be played in Rochester, Minnesota on May 2-4.