PRINCETON, N.J. -- The curtain rises for the 2019 Ivy League softball season this weekend, with six of the eight teams in action.
 
Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton and Yale open their campaigns on Friday, Feb. 22, with Brown and Penn kicking off their seasons the following week. The League’s non-conference schedule features 13 power five opponents, including games against the current No. 1, No. 4 and No. 13 teams in the nation. The first Ivy League contest is Saturday, March 16, with the full conference slate beginning on Saturday, March 23.
 
In the 2019 preseason poll, Harvard and Dartmouth were selected to finish first and second, respectively, and meet in the Ivy League Championship Series for the second-straight season. Last year saw the Crimson defeat the Dartmouth in two games to represent the Ivy League in the NCAA Tournament.
 
 
BROWN
2018 Record: 11-28, 5-16 (8^th)
Season Opener: Friday, March 1, vs. Saint Joseph’s, at Georgetown
The Bears, under the direction of first-year head coach Kate Refsnyder, will be led by senior Meghan Wimmer, who earned first-team All-Ivy and third-team NFCA All-Northeast Region honors last year. As a junior, Wimmer led the team in batting average (.398), home runs (seven), RBIs (23), runs (21), hits (39), on-base percentage (.496), slugging percentage (.724), and walks (18). She stood second in the Ivy League in slugging, third in OBP, and fifth in batting average.
 
COLUMBIA
2018 Record: 21-19, 13-8 (3^rd)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. Monmouth, at FIU
Columbia is coming off its first overall winning season since 2002, and its first winning Ivy League season in program history. The third-place finish was the highest overall final standing in program history. Along the way, Columbia set eight statistical offensive team records: batting average (.303), slugging percentage (.506), runs (244), triples (12), home runs (48), RBIs (218), total bases (573) and walks (131). The Lions return six of their program-record eight All-Ivy League honorees from last season, highlighted by second-team All-Ivy performers Sommer Grzybek (outfield) and Amanda Nishihira (catcher).
 
CORNELL
2018 Record: 15-25, 10-11 (5^th)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. Siena, vs. South Dakota
The Big Red continued its upward trending in 2018, finishing the season two games better than the previous year and four games ahead in conference play. Cornell returns seven positional starters, as well as the team's top two pitchers from a year ago. Junior Erin Rockstroh was second-team All-Ivy shortstop, while fellow classmate Kate Jencarelli earned honorable mention designated player/utility.
 
DARTMOUTH
2018 Record: 22-18, 16-5 (1^st)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. Appalachian State, at Charleston Southern
The Big Green will be led by first-year head coach Jennifer Williams. Dartmouth returns five all-conference selections from 2018. Senior captains Morgan Martinelli and Taylor Ward were both named to the first team along with the 2018 Rookie of the Year, Schae Nelson. Junior Micah Schroder and sophomore pitcher Heather Turner also return after collecting second-team All-Ivy honors last season.
 
 
HARVARD
2018 Record: 24-17, 14-7 (2^nd)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. LIU-Brooklyn, at Jacksonville
The Crimson is coming off its first championship season since 2012 and looks to take the title for the second-straight season. Harvard returns 12 members from the 2018 championship team, including first-team NFCA All-Region selections Katie Duncan, Rhianna Rich and Megan Lantz. Duncan is the reigning Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and all three received first-team All-Ivy honors a season ago.
 
PENN
2018 Record: 17-20, 12-8 (4^th)
Season Opener: Friday, March 1, vs. Middle Tennessee, vs. Furman
The Quakers were picked in the preseason poll to match their finish from a season ago, but hope to surpass that selection behind a trio of returning All-Ivy performers. Senior outfielder Jess England leads the way, as she received second team honors. Senior first base Sarah Cwiertnia and sophomore outfielder Tabitha Dyer were both named honorable mention a season ago.
 
PRINCETON
2018 Record: 10-29, 8-13 (6^th)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. Wright State, at Liberty
The Tigers won back-to-back Ivy titles in 2016 and 2017 and look to get back to the top of the standings. Princeton returns five players who have earned All-Ivy honors in their careers, including senior catcher/first baseman Keeley Walsh, senior first baseman Kaylee Grant, junior outfielder Megan Donahey, junior shortstop Allison Harvey, and sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Meyer, who earned first-team All-Ivy honors after a seven-homer season in 2018.
 
YALE
2018 Record: 10-30, 6-15 (7^th)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 22, vs. Boise State, vs. North Dakota
Yale returns four All-Ivy selections from a year ago in its goal of returning to the top half of the standings. Sophomore first base Sydney Grobman received second team honors after an impressive first collegiate season, while sophomore starting pitcher Miranda Papes and senior outfielders Carlin Hagmaier and Shelby Kennedy each received honorable mention accolades.