Wolfpack Softball Releases 2017 Schedule

RALEIGH, N.C. – Twenty-four games against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams highlight the 2017 NC State softball schedule, announced Thursday by head coach Shawn Rychcik. The fifth-year head coach has put together a schedule that features 37 contests versus opponents that finished last season ranked among the top 100 of the NCAA RPI.

The Wolfpack will face 13 teams that earned a berth in the 2016 NCAA Tournament for a total of 24 games, headlined by a matchup with defending National Champion, Oklahoma. Additionally, NC State will host perennial powerhouse Michigan, which has advanced to the Women's College World Series (WCWS) in each of the past two seasons.

"We're excited about the schedule that we've put together this year," said Rychcik. "Since I've been here, we've had tough non-conference schedules and we'll have that again this season. We have two top-25 teams coming to us for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and we'll also play the defending National Champions, Oklahoma.

"Hopefully the challenging non-conference games will help us get better and prepare us for ACC play and the postseason."

Heading into his fifth season, Rychcik has led NC State to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program's first NCAA Super Regional in 2015. He owns a 132-93-1 record leading the Wolfpack, highlighted by 16 wins against ranked opponents and another six victories versus teams receiving votes for the top-25 poll.

NC State opens the season in the Sunshine State at a tournament hosted by Florida Atlantic. The Pack will take the field for the first time in 2017 against North Florida Feb. 10 and return to the field later that evening to take on the host FAU Owls. Saturday Feb. 11, the Wolfpack is slated to play Michigan State and Troy. A matchup with Bethune-Cookman will conclude the event for NC State in the first meeting between the teams.

For the second consecutive year, the Wolfpack will host the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in its first home action of the season Feb. 17-19. NC State is matched up with Michigan and Minnesota from the B1G and will be joined by fellow conference member Notre Dame at the Raleigh site. The Wolfpack and Fighting Irish will each play Michigan and Minnesota twice, but not each other in the event.

NC State makes a return trip to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., in 2017. At the tournament, the Wolfpack takes on defending National Champion Oklahoma, as well as powerhouse UCLA, 2016 NCAA Teams Northwestern and Oregon State in addition to New Mexico State.

A midweek matchup at Charlotte March 1 precedes NC State's Homewood Suites by RDU/RTP Invitational at Dail Stadium (March 3-5). Fordham, Lehigh and Rutgers will join the Wolfpack in a true round-robin tournament format with a champion to be named on the final day.

NC State will make a trip to George Mason during spring break (March 7) for the first meeting between the programs.

New for 2017, ACC series will now be played over three days with one game each day instead of a doubleheader and a single game. The Wolfpack opens conference play at home against Syracuse (March 10-12).

NC State travels to in-state foe East Carolina March 15 before its second home ACC series against Virginia (March 17-19). The Pack hits the road next for a midweek doubleheader at USC Upstate and its first road conference series at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Following a home matchup with Liberty, NC State heads to Tennessee for a three-game non-conference series with the Volunteers March 31 – April 2.

The Wolfpack's 2017 slate also features ACC road series at Georgia Tech (April 7-9), Pittsburgh (April 21-23) and Boston College (April 28-30). Notre Dame heads to Raleigh on Easter Weekend, as the teams will play a doubleheader Friday, April 14 and a single game Saturday, April 15.

Louisville is the final conference series of the year and NC State will host the Cardinals at Dail Stadium.

Other non-conference midweek contests on the Wolfpack's schedule include UNCG (April 5), at Elon (April 12), UNCW (April 19) and at Campbell (April 26).

UNC-Chapel Hill will host the ACC Championship May 11-13 at Anderson Stadium.

In an effort to establish consistency across multiple events, NC State has announced new ticket policies for softball during the 2016-17 athletics year. Single-game tickets will be: adults - $7, youth (17 and younger) - $5, and groups (15 or more) - $3. Children Two (2) and younger are admitted free.

Season tickets are also available for adults ($50), seniors/youth ($25) and are ON SALE NOW.

2016 NCAA Tournament Teams on the Wolfpack's Schedule
Florida Atlantic
Fordham
Louisville
Michigan
Minnesota
Notre Dame
Northwestern
Oklahoma (National Champions)
Oregon State
Tennessee
UCLA
UNC-Chapel Hill
USC Upstate

2017 First-time Opponents on NC State's Schedule
Bethune-Cookman
George Mason
Northwestern

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