Lake County welcomes several NCAA Division I softball regular season games to the area, with games going into March, according to a news release. In conjunction with THE Spring Games organization, more than a dozen college softball teams from across the country will be participating in this unrivaled collegiate softball event. The games will take place over four weekends at multiple venues throughout the County.

THE Springs Games event began  the weekend of Feb. 12-14, at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, and on Feb. 26-28, Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont will host games between the University of Kentucky, Florida International University, Stetson University and New Mexico State.

This year’s event is highlighted by the exciting addition of the Big Ten Conference. Due to COVID-19, the Big Ten sought a neutral location where conference games could be played in a bubble-type atmosphere. Through a partnership with THE Spring Games and the City of Leesburg, the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex was selected to host this event. The Big Ten schools will play 84 games over a span of six days on the weekends of Feb. 26-28 and March 12-14.

“We are excited to welcome the NCAA Division I and Big Ten softball teams and their families to Lake County,” Lake County Commission Chairman Sean Parks says in the release. “Making Lake County a destination for sporting events of this caliber has been a whole community effort and we are thrilled about the impacts that events like this will have on our County.”

The Lake County Tourist Development Council is a sponsor of the event through use of the local Tourist Development Tax. The event sponsorship with THE Spring Games and the City of Leesburg has not only made this year’s games possible, but it’s an investment in the future as several Big Ten teams, along with other Division I softball teams, have agreed to return to Leesburg for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

For the safety of players and visitors, COVID-19 protocols will be in place to limit the number of spectators allowed at games, and the availability of general admission tickets will vary each weekend. For tickets or additional information, please visit www.thespringgames.com. Visit the official tourism site for Lake County, Florida, at www.visitlakefl.com to find information on area restaurants, accommodations and more.