Nov. 23, 2010
Full 2010 Schedule | Nittany Lion Park Video (11/22)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State softball squad released the full 56-game 2011 schedule, which features 17 games against NCAA Tournament foes from a year ago. The season will feature the opening of Nittany Lion Park, Penn State's new $10.2 million softball complex, set for Mar. 24 with a doubleheader against Buffalo. The 2011 year begins at the FAU Kick-Off Classic vs. Tulsa on Feb. 18 at 9:00 a.m.
By the numbers, the 2011 non-conference schedule will be one of the toughest in the country as 22 of Penn State's 26 non-Big Ten opponents participated in postseason action in 2010. Additionally, 10 of the first 12 scheduled opponents sported a winning record last year totaling eight NCAA Tournament appearances. Penn State will play at least 21 games this year against teams that won 30 or more games last year with 10 who won at least 40.
The exciting opening of Nittany Lion Park will take place on Thursday, Mar. 24 against Buffalo. The state-of-the-art complex has been under construction since March 28 in preparation for the 2011 season. Anticipation has been growing for the as a four-game home stand kicks off play on Beard Field, Nittany Lion Park's playing surface named in honor of Lee and Bill Beard's generosity towards the project.
The doubleheader with Buffalo will begin at 4:00 p.m. and is followed by a two-game Big Ten opening set with Wisconsin on Mar. 26-27. The games against the Badgers will begin at 2:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. on their respective days. The new stadium will feature seating for 1,084 spectators and will include features such as handicap-accessible viewing, concessions, bathrooms as well as all the playing elements to the stadium in terms of dugouts, bullpens, batting cages and tunnels. Warmers and bathrooms will also be available in the dugout for teams as well.
The Nittany Lions travel to Boca Raton, Fla. to take on Tulsa and Massachusetts on the first day of the season (Feb. 18) in the FAU Kick-Off Classic before following up with NCAA participant Long Island and host Florida Atlantic. A fifth and final game in the tournament against a team to be named later will take place on Feb. 20.
A weekend later, Penn State travels south again, this time to Chapel Hill, N.C. for the Carolina Classic Feb. 26-27. The opening day's action sees games against Florida International and Georgetown. On Feb. 27, PSU again plays Florida International and North Carolina both of which were NCAA teams a year ago.
March opens with a lengthy spring break trip in four different locals in the Georgia and Alabama. Penn State will participate in the Buzz Classic (Mar. 4-6) hosted by Georgia Tech in Woodstock, Ga. A rematch with Massachusetts takes place on Mar. 4 followed by a game against Miami (Ohio). The Miami Redhawks are coached by Kelly Kovach Schoenly who was a Penn State assistant for eight years under head coach Robin Petrini. The tournament wraps up with games against NCAA Tournament teams Georgia Tech and Jacksonville State on Mar. 5 and Rhode Island on Mar. 6.
The Nittany Lions will trek to Kennesaw State on Mar. 8 for a single game and then to Auburn, Ala. for a two-game round robin against the host Tigers and ACC power Florida State on Mar. 9. Games in Alabama are set for 2:00 p.m. (vs. Florida State) and 5:00 p.m. ET (at Auburn).
Penn State travels back to the Atlanta area for the SHS Georgia Tech Classic for games against Bowling Green and Georgia State on Friday, Mar. 11. Another matchup against the host Yellow Jackets takes place the next day and a 10:00 a.m. game against Belmont on Mar. 13 wraps up the 12-game stretch.
The non-conference tournament season closes out with a West Coast trip to the competitive Judi Garman Classic hosted by Cal State Fullerton. The first three games of the tournament will feature NCAA Tournament teams, two of which were NCAA Super Regional participants. On Thursday, Mar. 17, the Nittany Lions tangle with the Sun Devils of Arizona State before a matchup against Fresno State. The next day, PSU takes on Oklahoma before ending the tournament on Saturday, Mar. 19 against Pacific and Boise State.
Less than a week later, PSU plays its four-game home stand against Buffalo (Mar. 24 doubleheader) and Wisconsin (Mar. 26-27) to open Nittany Lion Park. Keeping with the theme of opening new ballparks, Penn State will play guest to Pittsburgh's opening of its Petersen Sports Complex on Mar. 29 for a doubleheader. The Nittany Lions continue its road trip with a two-game set at Illinois (Apr. 2-3) and a mid-week doubleheader at Michigan State (Apr. 6).
A pair of home series features Indiana (Apr. 9-10) and Kent State (Apr. 13 doubleheader) before a weekend excursion at Minnesota (Apr. 16-17). The Nittany Lions return home for a pair of twinbills against Big Ten power Michigan (Apr. 20) before taking on Longwood (Apr. 24).
PSU alternates its remaining Big Ten schedule with a doubleheader at Ohio State (Apr. 27), a home series against Purdue (Apr. 30-May 1), an away series at Iowa (May 7-8) and a return trip home at Nittany Lion Park against Northwestern (May 13-14).
Penn State returns the majority of its offense and all its starting pitching from a team last year that went 29-22 and finished seventh in the Big Ten at 8-11. The Nittany Lions have been to the NCAA Tournament nine times in program history, seven of which have come since 2000.
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion softball this season, visit GoPSUsports.com.
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--NITTANY LIONS--