The Southeast Missouri State softball team's 2016 schedule was announced on Tuesday.

The Redhawks are slated to play 56 regular-season games in coach Mark Redburn's second season at the helm. There are plenty of opportunities to see the team in action at home with 32 games at the Redhawk Softball Complex in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast opens the season in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at the Sand Dollar Classic, taking place Feb. 12-14. The Redhawks will play Louisiana Tech, Louisiana Lafayette, Houston Baptist, Central Arkansas and South Alabama in the tournament.

The Redhawks then go to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the Western Kentucky tournament Feb. 26-28, which includes Western Carolina, Ball State, Valparaiso and Western Kentucky.

They compete against Missouri State, Northern Illinois, Missouri-Kansas City and Saint Louis in the All-Missouri Cancer Classic on March 5 and 6 in St. Louis.

Southeast returns home March 12 and 13, hosting Bradley and Eastern Illinois for the Southeast Games.

The Redhawks play doubleheaders on the road vs. non-conference opponents Jackson State and Southeastern Louisiana on March 15 and 16, respectively, before beginning Ohio Valley Conference play.

Southeast, which was 19-27, 12-12 in conference last year and made the OVC tournament for the first time since 2011, hosts Murray State March 19 and 20 for its first OVC series.

The Redhawks play at regional rival Southern Illinois on March 22. They host Southeastern Conference opponents Arkansas and Missouri for doubleheaders on April 6 and April 27. Their remaining non-conference doubleheader is at Saint Louis on April 13.

The Redhawks other home OVC series are against Belmont (March 25), Tennessee State (March 26), Jacksonville State (April 9), Tennessee Tech (April 10) and Austin Peay (April 30-May 1).

Southeast's road OVC contests are at SIU Edwardsville (April 2-3), UT Martin (April 16-17), Eastern Kentucky (April 23), Morehead State (April 24) and Eastern Illinois (May 7-8).

The OVC tournament is scheduled for May 11-14.