North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball to Open Season in Miami this Weekend
2/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Head coach Lisa Navas and the NC State softball program will begin its seventh season of play this weekend, Feb. 12-14, at the FIU Combat Classic in Miami, Fla. The Wolfpack will play five games across three days, taking on No. 20 UMass, Florida International, Providence, North Florida and Illinois – Chicago.
Click here to access the FIU Combat Classic tournament page.
NC State will play No. 20 UMass (5 p.m.) and Florida International (7 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 12, before facing Providence (7 p.m.) and North Florida (9 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Pack will wrap up its stay on Sunday, Feb. 14 against Illinois – Chicago (11 a.m.).
The Pack is a combined 4-3 all-time vs. the tournament field, having never faced either Florida International or Providence. NC State is 2-1 all-time against UMass, and 1-1 against both North Florida and Illinois – Chicago.
This season NC State returns 17 players and brings in five newcomers, including four freshmen and one transfer (Alicia Abbott / Illinois – Chicago). Click here for an in-depth season preview of the Pack.
UMass finished last season with a No. 14 national ranking and a 41-10 record, having won the A-10 title and fallen in the NCAA Regional Finals to eventual national champion Washington. Outfielder Carly Normandin was recently named to the ASA “watch list” for national player of the year.
Tournament host Florida International posted a 31-29 slate a year ago, finishing its season with a loss to No. 22 Louisiana Lafayette at the Sun Belt Championships. The Panthers return 11 letterwinners from the 2009 campaign.
Providence went 17-34 in 2009. The Friars played just two games against ACC competition last season, dropping both contests at Boston College.
North Florida compiled a 26-24 record last season, taking sixth-place out of the 11-team Atlantic Sun. The Ospreys went 1-2 against ACC foes, falling to Virginia and splitting a doubleheader against Florida State.
Illinois – Chicago was recently picked to finish second in the Horizon League after winning the regular season title a year ago with a 27-26 record. The Flames added five newcomers to its seven returnees from last season.
Following this weekend, NC State will host NC Central for a single game on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 5 p.m. at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium.
