2002 SCHEDULE
Senior Aryn Rangel and the Terriers will play the toughest schedule in the program's history this season.
BOSTON - The Boston University softball team will play four teams in the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Division I Top 25 poll, and have the possibility of facing up to 17 opponents that are included in the poll and the "Others receiving Votes" category during the 2002 season.
The Terriers will play No. 9 Washington and No. 16 Fresno State in the NFCA Leadoff Classic from Feb. 22-24. The Terriers will get a rematch with the Bulldogs when they travel to Fresno, CA to take part in the Hollowell Softball Classic from Mar. 8-10. The tournament is hosted by Fresno State.
B. U. will play at 24th-ranked Massachusetts on May 1, and participate in the Hofstra Invitational from Mar. 16-17 against former America East Conference opponent Hofstra. The Pride start the season in the "others receiving votes" category of the preseason poll.
In addition, the Terriers will play in two highly competitive early-season tournaments in that could set B.U. against other highly ranked teams such as No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 LSU, No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 8 Arizona State, and No. 10 Cal State Fullerton.
"This year we are going to play in both the UNC Triangle Classic and the NFCA Leadoff Classic," said Terrier head coach Amy Hayes. "Both tournaments will give us a huge boost in our level of competition. We are also going out to California for the first time in the program's history, and playing in the Fresno State tournament will give us a higher level of competition.
"This schedule will allow us to gear up for conference play and hopefully prepare us for postseason play."
Other teams that the Terriers may face are Michigan, ranked 11th in the poll, and Oregon State, which enters the season ranked 18th. Wisconsin, North Carolina and Virginia are possible opponents that appear in "others receiving votes."
The Terriers are coming off a 34-17 season and a first place finish in the America East regular season. Their 21-5 conference record solidified the team's conference record seventh trip to the America East Championship. A highlight of the season was a program-record 18-game winning streak.
