BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Western Kentucky's women's softball team and head coach Tyra Perry announced the schedule for the 2011 softball season. Highlights on the schedule include games against top-25 programs and 2010 NCAA participants.
The Lady Toppers will participate in four tournaments during the season. Opening their season in Santa Barbara, CA, February 11, in a three-day tournament. The Lady Toppers will face UC Santa Barbara and Seattle the first two-days and finish the tournament with a game against Wichita State.
"We are very excited about our 2011 schedule," said Perry. "This year features non-conference games against top 25 programs and several 2010 NCAA tournament participants. Each year we look to challenge ourselves to take our program to another level. Competing against top teams like Michigan and Georgia Tech is a step in the right direction."
On February 23, the Lady Toppers will host their first home game of the season in a double-header against Eastern Kentucky at the WKU Softball Complex. WKU will host 19 home games in the 2011 season, 11 of the home games are weekend contests.
The following weekend, WKU will travel to Oxford, Miss., Feb. 25-27, for a three-day tournament at Ole Miss. Opening the tournament with a game against Austin-Peay and Southeast Missouri State the first day. Wrapping up the tournament with two games against Louisiana Tech and one against Ole Miss.
After four days off the Lady Toppers will participate in the 2011 Buzz Classic in Atlanta, Ga., March 4-6. Opening the tournament Friday afternoon against Rhode Island and University of North Carolina at Greensboro. WKU will battle Georgia State and Miami (OH) in day two of the tournament. In the final day of the tournament the Lady Toppers will take on Georgia Tech., who was seeded eighth in the 2010 NCAA tournament.
WKU will return home the following day to host Bowling Green in an afternoon game March 7. They will host Southern Illinois Edwardsville the next day, March 8, in a doubleheader.
The Lady Toppers will hit the road for a game against Tennessee Tech March 10. WKU will take on Louisville and 2010 Big Ten champion Michigan in the Louisville Tournament March 12-13. The Lady Toppers will compete against Louisville and Big Ten. On March 16, WKU will take on Tennessee State in Nashville, Tenn.
Sun Belt Conference action will start March 19 on the road against South Alabama for a three-game weekend series. The Lady Toppers return to the WKU Softball Complex March 22 to host Belmont, before opening a weekend SBC series at home against Florida Atlantic March 26-27. WKU will finish the month of March in Nashville, Tenn., against Lipscomb, a 2010 NCAA participant.
"The Sun Belt Conference is one of the most competitive leagues in the country," said Perry. "Our players have been working hard this fall and are looking forward to playing this spring."
April opens with five straight home games beginning Saturday, April 2. The Lady Toppers will take on Sun Belt Conference opponent North Texas in a weekend match-up April 2-3. The following Tuesday WKU will host Samford in a doubleheader at the WKU Softball Complex.
The Lady Toppers will hit the road for three-straight Sun Belt Conference competitions from April 9-20. WKU will take on Troy and FIU before a one-game stint with Middle Tennessee. The following weekend the Lady Toppers will host Louisiana-Monroe in a weekend series before hitting the road one last time in the regular season to take on Murray State (April 27) and Louisiana-Lafayette April 30-May 1.
Finishing the regular season at home the Lady Toppers will battle SBC rival Middle Tennessee in a double-header Saturday, April 7, at the WKU Softball Complex.
The Sun Belt Conference tournament is set for May 11-14 in Lafayette, La., and the NCAA tournament begins May 20.
