Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Unveils 2011 Schedule
11/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 1, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University softball team will face a tough opening month in the 2011 campaign, which features two tournaments at 2010 postseason qualifiers. In addition to hosting a tournament of its own, the Thundering Herd faces an aggressive conference schedule with three NCAA Regional qualifiers.
On Monday afternoon head coach Shonda Stanton released the 2011, 56-game schedule which features some of the best teams in the nation from one year ago.
"We will be challenged and tested right from the start, which will prepare us for a strong C-USA schedule," Stanton said.
The Thundering Herd will open with a tour of the South when it treks to the South Florida Wilson-DeMarini Tournament (Feb. 11-13), the 8th Annual Georgia Softball Classic (Feb.18-20) and the Auburn University War Eagle Classic Tournament (Feb. 25).
In Tampa, MU faces South Florida, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Long Island and North Carolina State. Florida and LIU both reached the postseason last year, making it to the Women's College World Series and Regional level, respectively.
Five days later the Herd will head to Athens where it will face another pair of postseason teams in North Dakota State and tournament-host Georgia. MU will battle NC State yet again, along with Buffalo and Winthrop.
In its final tournament south of the Mason Dixon, the Herd will stop at Auburn, Ala., playing Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee, Belmont and 2010 NCAA Regional qualifier Auburn.
Marshall then returns to Huntington for its first home game when it hosts the Marshall Invitational (March 4-6) at the friendly confines of Dot Hicks Field. Among the field are Kent State, Presbyterian and Buffalo.
After a doubleheader at Ohio on March 8, the Herd opens its C-USA schedule at Tulsa (March 12-13) and at home against East Carolina (March 19-20). In its final regular-season tournament MU will head to Oxford, Ohio, for the Miami (OH) Invitational where it will face Toledo, Purdue, tournament-host Miami and NCAA qualifier Ball State.
The month of April sees Marshall at Houston (April 2-3), Wright State (April 6), a home stand with Memphis (April 9-10) and Kentucky (April 13), at UCF (April 16-17), home against Morehead State (April 19), Southern Miss (April 22-23) and UTEP (April 30-May 1) and its final series of the season at UAB (May 7-8).
"We had a productive fall season and the players have been working hard in preparation for the spring," Stanton said. "We are excited to get the 2011 season underway."
UH, WSU, UCF and UAB make up the final four opponents the Herd will face that qualified for the NCAA tournament last year.
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