Tough Competition Headlines Softball Schedule

Sept. 18, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma softball team released an extremely competitive spring schedule on Wednesday. Six of the Sooners' 2002 opponents were ranked or received votes in the final 2001 Top 25 poll and the squad will face some of the nation's top competition in tournament action. In addition to a tough Big 12 Conference slate, the Sooners' schedule is also highlighted by matchups with softball national powerhouses Fresno State and defending national champion Arizona.

"Last year our strength of schedule was rated third in the country in the RPI rankings and its going to stay right up there because we're playing the best there is," expressed Head Coach Patty Gasso.

A year after falling 5-4 to the Wildcats in the second round of the 2001 Women's College World Series, the Sooners will attempt to avenge the loss as the two teams square off on April 17. The game is part of a two-game set put on by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) at Don Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City which also features an April 16 contest against Fresno State.

"It's right at the end of the season, so its a good matchup for us going into postseason play," commented Gasso on the prospects of playing the Bulldogs and Wildcats. "That's bringing in the best in back-to-back games at Hall of Fame Stadium, so we're really excited about the fact that we get to play these teams in our backyard."

For the fifth consecutive year, Oklahoma will compete in two of the top collegiate tournaments in the country, the NFCA Lead Off Classic (Feb. 22-24) in Columbus, Ga., and the Kia Klassic (March 14-17) in Fullerton, Calif. OU's other tournament travels take them to Arlington, Texas, for the UTA Tournament (Feb. 8-10), and Miami, for the Florida International Tournament (March 1-3).

The Sooners will host two tournaments of their own at the OU Softball Complex before diving into Big 12 action near the end of March. The OU/Nike Classic takes place Feb. 15-17, followed by the OU/Worth Invitational, March 8-10.

A doubleheader between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Sooners will open OU's league schedule on March 21 in Norman at the OU Softball Complex. The series will be a battle of last year's regular-season Big 12 champs ('Huskers) and the conference tournament champions (Sooners). Oklahoma will also face league foes Texas Tech (March 29-30), Texas (April 13-14), Kansas (April 20-21) and Oklahoma State (April 24) at home this season.

The OU Fall Festival (Oct. 12-14) concludes the remainder of the fall schedule for the squad. The festival will be held at the OU Softball Complex.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Tough Competition Headlines Softball Schedule

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