ROCK HILL, SC- After coming off their most successful Big South Tournament run since 2009, Winthrop head coach Tom Riginos feels 2015 will be a special season for the Eagles.

"Since winning the Southern Division title and making that run in the conference tournament like we did, I think this team has a lot of confidence," said Riginos. "I think sometimes you know when you have a special team and are going to have a special season, and I feel that right now with this team going into the season."
 
The Eagles finished 2014 with a record of 27-33, winning five of its last seven games ,clinching the Big South Southern Division Title and making it all the way to the Big South Conference Tournament Final. With the departure of VMI, the Big South will no longer compete in divisions and the Eagles have been predicted to finish 6th according to the Big South Preseason Poll.
 
Experience and depth will be key components for the Eagles success this season as the 2015 roster includes 22 returning players and 11 newcomers. "We have a lot of guys coming back," Riginos said. "We are excited about the depth and the experience we have. With the freshmen and junior college transfers we've recruited and the returners getting better, I feel really good about the lineup we can put on the field."
 
The 2015 schedule shapes up to be another challenging one for the Eagles, Winthrop will play 35 home games beginning with the opening four-game series with nationally ranked Kent State on February 13 at The Winthrop Ballpark.  Other non-conference home games will include three-game series against Toledo, Jacksonville, Maryland Eastern-Shore, and Kennesaw State, who is also ranked. The Eagles will also face The Citadel, USC Upstate, Davidson, East Tennessee and Charlotte at home in addition to Big South Conference series against Gardner-Webb, High Point, UNC Asheville and Presbyterian College.Highlighting the road games will be contests against national powers North Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina.
     
This is Riginos' fifth year at the helm, where he has compiled a record of 92-131.