BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Opening Day for the 2020 softball season finds Bethune-Cookman beginning its quest for a third consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and 12^th NCAA Regional appearance at the FAU First Pitch Classic Friday. The Wildcats meet Northern Illinois at 9 a.m. and Purdue at 1:30 p.m.

The Wildcats are coming off a 26-31 2019 campaign that included a 13-2 MEAC record, signature wins against Virginia, #17 Oregon and Kansas in Head Coach Laura Watten's 700^th career coaching victory as well as an 11^th MEAC tournament championship.

Opening weekend also features two games with national power Wisconsin of the Big 12 and one with Indiana State.

WHO'S BACK: Jacki Smith, whose junior season was cut short due to injury, leads the returners along with Kaiya Epps-Lee and MEAC Tournament Outstanding Performer Sasha Killings, all of whom were named to the MEAC Preseason Team. Other returners include Quianah Mitchell, Carrington Robinson, Yvonne Siordia, Victoria Guzman, Destiny Enriquez, Kaira Cabato and Kayla Traylor.

YOUTHFUL: BCU has six freshmen on the opening day roster. There are also three JUCO transfers.

THE NEXT GENERATION: Cabato became Watten's first second generation player last year. Her mother Jessica pitched for Watten back in the 1990s. This year's feel good story? Freshman Cameron Eskew Knox' father Matt Knox played baseball for the Wildcats and served as BCU Athletics' Marketing Director, bringing Cameron to the games and she would run the scoreboard. Cameron's wear the No. 10 jersey just like Dad and is playing second base just like Dad.

LAURA LEGEND: With 700 career victories recorded, the next milestone for Watten? She needs 25 wins to pass Cy McClairen for the most wins by any Bethune-Cookman coach. McClairen amassed 468 basketball and football wins during his legendary career.

SCOUTING REPORT:  Northern Illinois is also young, with 16 freshmen and sophomores on the roster … Purdue is coming off a 34-win campaign in 2019 … Wisconsin was an NCAA tournament team, losing to eventual national runner-up Oklahoma in its regional final; the Badges are ranked 25/23 in the two preseason polls … Indiana State has seven freshmen.

WEEKEND COVERAGE: Links to live stats and in-game updates will be available on the team twitter feed @bcusoftball … Also, visit the team's Instagram account (@bcusoftball) for a behind-the-scenes view.