Nov. 7, 2001
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UK softball team will face seven teams that participated in the 2001 Women’s College World Series UK Coach Beth Kirchner announced Wednesday, Nov. 7. Along with the three Southeastern Conference foes that were NCAA tournament participants last year, the Cats’ will square off against four other tournament qualifiers during UK’s first month in which they travel to three tournaments.
UK will begin its sixth season earlier than it ever has as the Cats travel to Miami, Fla., to play in the Florida International Tournament Feb. 1-3. The Cats begin the season SEC-foe Georgia on Feb. 1 to open the 2002 campaign. Illinois State, a 2001 WCWS participant, and host Florida International are the last games scheduled as a tournament format closes out the event.
After a week off, the Cats travel to San Antonio, Texas, for the UTSA Tournament from Feb. 15-17. UK will face 2001 WCWS participants Bethune-Cookman and Southwest Texas State. The preseason road tournament schedule concludes Feb. 22-24 in Chattanooga, Tenn., as UK plays in the Choo Choo Tournament for the third consecutive year. Host Chattanooga, who the Cats face on the last day of competition, was also a 2001 post-season participant.
“We will see pretty tough competition early on from teams we won’t see during the year. It should be a good test for us,” said Kirchner. “Going to Chattanooga will give us an opportunity to play on the field that will play host to the SEC tournament.”
A single game with intrastate foe Morehead State on Tuesday, March 5 opens the Cats’ home schedule before the sixth annual Kentucky Invitational on March 9-10. Kent State, Evansville, Ohio and Illinois State will join the Cats at the UK Softball Complex for the UKIT.
“The UK Invitational field is deeper than ever and should help us prepare for SEC play,” said Kirchner.
UK will begin its SEC schedule March 16 in Gainesville with a double header against Florida. UK also will travel to Mississippi, Georgia, Auburn and 2001 WCWS participant South Carolina.
Postseason participants Alabama and LSU along with Tennessee, Mississippi State and Arkansas will each visit the Bluegrass for three game sets with UK.
The Cats return seven positional starters and two-thirds of last year’s starting pitching rotation from a team that finished 27-34 and seventh in the SEC.
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