Softball Releases 2013 Schedule
December 18, 2012 | Softball
Dec. 18, 2012
BOSTON - Highlighted by trips to Women's College World Series participant South Florida and Super Regional finalist Arizona, the defending America East champion Boston University softball team's 2013 schedule has been released by first-year head coach Kathryn Gleason. In total, the challenging 54-game slate features at least nine teams that advanced to the 2012 NCAA tournament and 20 contests against opponents that finished with an RPI of 100 or better.
The schedule includes competition against teams from the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 12 along with the champions of the Atlantic 10, Ivy League and Pacific Coast Softball Conference.
"We will be challenged early and often during the 2013 season," said Gleason. "From Orlando to Tucson to Clearwater, our veteran roster will face those teams we expect to see at the end of the season. Getting out to play those teams in February and March will prepare us for our America East conference opponents as well as the strong competition right here in the northeast. This is a squad who has been challenged and tested these last few months, so I am confident that they are excited and well prepared to hit the field and begin the 2013 campaign."
The Terriers begin their season on Friday, Feb. 22 at the Diamond 9 Tournament in Orlando, Fla., where they will play five games in three days against competition to be announced at a later date. They then travel to the University of Arizona for the Wildcat Invitational on March 1-3. After opening the event against PCSC champion Portland State, BU will face the Wildcats and UC Riverside two times each.
The following 13 games will take place in the state of Florida. First, BU will participate in the Under Armour Showcase on March 8-10. The Terriers begin play against Quinnipiac and NCAA participant Northwestern, followed by contests against Wagner, Youngstown St. and Villanova.
Taking a break from tournament play, the Terriers will face University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Fordham on March 12 in Clearwater. On March 13, they make the quick trip over to Tampa to face off against South Florida, who finished with an RPI ranking of 15 after reaching the College World Series.
Featuring five opponents, the fourth and final tournament will occur on March 15-17. The Terriers will face three straight major conference opponents in NCAA participant Maryland (ACC), Rutgers (Big East) and Oklahoma State (Big 12). The Cowgirls participated in the 2011 College World Series and posted a RPI ranking of 38 this past season despite going 26-28.
After closing out the City of Clearwater Spring Invitational against Florida A&M and Robert Morris, the nine-time conference champion Terriers will open the 13-game home slate and their final season in the America East against Albany. In a rematch of the 2012 conference tournament title game, BU and the Great Danes will play a three-game series on March 23-24.
The following 10 of 12 games will take place on the road, starting with a doubleheader at Providence on March 28. After playing a three-game series at Binghamton on March 30-31, the Terriers will return home to host Connecticut (April 3) and Boston College (April 4).
BU then hits the road again with a three-game series at Hartford on April 6-7. The Terriers next continue the non-conference schedule by visiting defending Ivy League champion Harvard (April 9) and Atlantic 10 champion Massachusetts (April 11).
After hosting UMBC in a three-game series on April 13-14, BU will visit Bryant (April 16) and Boston College (April 18). The Terriers remain on the road with a doubleheader at Fairfield on April 20 and trip to Sacred Heart on April 21.
The month of April will conclude with five games at home. The Terriers will first host Bryant (April 25) and then Maine in a three-game series on April 27-28. The last home game takes place against UMass on April 30.
After facing off against the Minutewomen for the second time, BU will finish the regular season at conference foe Stony Brook on May 4-5.
Coming off a 41-16 America East championship season, the Terriers return 12 players from a squad that picked up the program's fourth NCAA tournament win since 2009 and posted an RPI ranking of 47.
