The University of Kentucky softball team will open its 2001 season at the University ofTexas-Arlington/Isuzu Motors Invitational Tournament, which runs from Friday, Feb. 9, toSunday, Feb. 11. The tournament will be held at Mike Lewis Park and Cottonwood Park inGrand Prairie, Texas. This will be the fourth year in a row that UK has opened its season atthe Texas-Arlington Tournament.

“We are very excited to be going into the first weekend of play and opening the season withOklahoma, the returning national champion,” UK coach Beth Kirchner said. “This will be agood barometer to see where we are.”

The Wildcats will face 2000 National Champion Oklahoma in their first game of thetournament, on Friday, Feb. 9, at 11:15 a.m. CT. The next game will pit UK againstTexas-San Antonio at 1:30 p.m. CT and the Cats will finish the day against Louisiana Techat 3:45 p.m. CT. The following two days will be run in tournament format.

Last season, Kentucky faced Oklahoma at the same tournament, where the Soonersdefeated the Wildcats, 5-0. UK has faced Louisiana Tech twice at the Texas-ArlingtonTournament, defeating the Lady Techsters last season, 5-4, and dropping the first meeting,in 1998, 11-1.

This weekend begins a three-weekend road trip for the Cats, who will open at home onWednesday, Feb. 28, against Eastern Kentucky.