Indiana University Athletics
Softball Announces 2016 Schedule
11/6/2015 11:26:00 AM | Softball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team announced its 2016 slate today, highlighted by 24 games to be played at Andy Mohr Field, including 12 Big Ten matchups.
"I'm so excited about this season, we have a bunch of new faces and I really feel like we're going to be in a good place," said head coach Michelle Gardner. "We've got a great mix of games and competition before heading into conference play. We're just excited about getting ready for the Big Ten and really doing some good things this season."
The team will begin the year with four consecutive road tournaments, starting with Indiana's fourth straight trip to the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Indiana will open the 2016 campaign against Nevada and Fresno State on Feb. 12 before rounding out the weekend with Utah State, Georgia State and Cal.
"With all of that traveling, we get to learn a lot about each other," said Gardner. "That's essentially what this beginning part of the season is about. You get to bond, find out how people operate and really form that team mentality."
The following weekend sees Indiana head south to Miami as the Hoosiers face off against tournament host Florida International and Holy Cross, as well as a two-game stint with Delaware.
The Hoosiers will then visit College Station, Texas to participate in the Texas A&M Invitational from Feb. 26-28. Indiana will play a pair of games against host Texas A&M and UTEP, as well as a single meeting with Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Wrapping up the first portion of the schedule will be a visit to Auburn, Ala. for the Wilson/DeMarini Classic the next weekend. Indiana will battle Auburn, who finished the 2015 season ranked No. 3 in the RPI and Coaches Poll, Georgia State, Murray State and Bryant.
The Hoosiers travel to Kentucky on March 9 to face off against the Wildcats before heading home to begin the longest home stretch of the season as IU hosts 16 consecutive home games from March 12 to April 3.
"That will be a fun stretch because when we get home everybody gets to come out and see what we've got going on," said Gardner. "In addition, it's an advantage since we're home for a long period where we are in our own rooms and getting a bit of a break."
Indiana will host the IU Classic March 12-14, battling Ohio and Evansville before playing Drake in a doubleheader on March 14.
The following weekend, IU hosts its annual Hoosier Classic tournament and will match up with IPFW, Western Illinois, Bowling Green and Wright State. The Hoosier Classic is entering its sixth consecutive year and has seen Indiana post an 18-2 record in the event.
Following a March 23 meeting with Indiana State at Andy Mohr Field, the Hoosiers open up Big Ten play against Iowa March 25-27. Other home Big Ten series include 2015 Women's College World Series runner-up Michigan (April 1-3), Penn State (April 8-10) and Ohio State (April 29-May 1).
In addition, the Hoosiers host Louisville for an April 12 battle, along with an April 20 tilt with Ball State.
Road conference meetings for Indiana includes Purdue (doubleheader, April 6), Michigan State (April 15-17), Rutgers (April 22-24) and Maryland (May 6-8).
University Park, Pa. is the site of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament as Penn State plays host to the field from May 12-14.
"It is a new look for our team this season," said Gardner. "In addition to the newest faces, we have a lot of young, returning faces and we're topping that off with a really tremendous senior class that has a lot of leadership and experience. We cannot wait to get started and see how it all comes together."
"I'm so excited about this season, we have a bunch of new faces and I really feel like we're going to be in a good place," said head coach Michelle Gardner. "We've got a great mix of games and competition before heading into conference play. We're just excited about getting ready for the Big Ten and really doing some good things this season."
The team will begin the year with four consecutive road tournaments, starting with Indiana's fourth straight trip to the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Indiana will open the 2016 campaign against Nevada and Fresno State on Feb. 12 before rounding out the weekend with Utah State, Georgia State and Cal.
"With all of that traveling, we get to learn a lot about each other," said Gardner. "That's essentially what this beginning part of the season is about. You get to bond, find out how people operate and really form that team mentality."
The following weekend sees Indiana head south to Miami as the Hoosiers face off against tournament host Florida International and Holy Cross, as well as a two-game stint with Delaware.
The Hoosiers will then visit College Station, Texas to participate in the Texas A&M Invitational from Feb. 26-28. Indiana will play a pair of games against host Texas A&M and UTEP, as well as a single meeting with Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Wrapping up the first portion of the schedule will be a visit to Auburn, Ala. for the Wilson/DeMarini Classic the next weekend. Indiana will battle Auburn, who finished the 2015 season ranked No. 3 in the RPI and Coaches Poll, Georgia State, Murray State and Bryant.
The Hoosiers travel to Kentucky on March 9 to face off against the Wildcats before heading home to begin the longest home stretch of the season as IU hosts 16 consecutive home games from March 12 to April 3.
"That will be a fun stretch because when we get home everybody gets to come out and see what we've got going on," said Gardner. "In addition, it's an advantage since we're home for a long period where we are in our own rooms and getting a bit of a break."
Indiana will host the IU Classic March 12-14, battling Ohio and Evansville before playing Drake in a doubleheader on March 14.
The following weekend, IU hosts its annual Hoosier Classic tournament and will match up with IPFW, Western Illinois, Bowling Green and Wright State. The Hoosier Classic is entering its sixth consecutive year and has seen Indiana post an 18-2 record in the event.
Following a March 23 meeting with Indiana State at Andy Mohr Field, the Hoosiers open up Big Ten play against Iowa March 25-27. Other home Big Ten series include 2015 Women's College World Series runner-up Michigan (April 1-3), Penn State (April 8-10) and Ohio State (April 29-May 1).
In addition, the Hoosiers host Louisville for an April 12 battle, along with an April 20 tilt with Ball State.
Road conference meetings for Indiana includes Purdue (doubleheader, April 6), Michigan State (April 15-17), Rutgers (April 22-24) and Maryland (May 6-8).
University Park, Pa. is the site of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament as Penn State plays host to the field from May 12-14.
"It is a new look for our team this season," said Gardner. "In addition to the newest faces, we have a lot of young, returning faces and we're topping that off with a really tremendous senior class that has a lot of leadership and experience. We cannot wait to get started and see how it all comes together."
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