DETROIT (12/8/17) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team has released its 2018 schedule, which features a challenging non-conference schedule and three teams from last year's NCAA tournament. 

"I think this is a very good, competitive schedule that will help us prepare for the Horizon League," said head coach John Conway. "We get a chance to go down south and play some very good teams in February and March and that will help us get ready for our league play."

The University of Notre Dame and Fordham University are the non-conference NCAA teams on the docket. The schedule also includes match-ups with local rivals Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Western Michigan. 

The Titans will play a total of 56 games this season with opening tournaments in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and New York City. 

"I think last year, we played a similar tough non-conference schedule and while we came out on the short end of a lot of close games, that helped us prepare mentally and physically for the Horizon League, where we had an overall winning record."

The Titans advanced all the way to the Horizon League tournament semifinals last year, knocking out three teams along the way and winning three postseason games, the most since 1998. 

The team returns 11 letterwinners from last season, including First Team All-HL shortstop Courtney Gilbert, second team honoree Jordan Manno and All-Freshman selections in Liz Murphy and Elizabeth Yager.