Oct. 12, 2011

2012 Memphis Schedule
2012 Memphis Schedule - Printable

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - First year University of Memphis softball head coach Natalie Poole released today an exciting and challenging 2012 spring schedule that features 19 games against 2011 NCAA Regional participants.

The Tigers will play 10 teams from last year's field of 64, including nine opponents that finished the season ranked in the top 50 RPI.

Memphis enters the new year fresh off its first NCAA Tournament appearance. In its sixth year of existence, the Tigers finished with a school record .720 winning percentage with an overall mark of 36-14. The U of M boasted wins against Super Regional qualifiers Stanford, Kentucky and Houston in 2011.

NCAA Regional participants Memphis will face in 2012 include Tennessee, Louisville, Long Beach State, Missouri State, Indiana and BYU as well as qualifiers from Conference USA in Houston, East Carolina, UAB and Tulsa.

The Tigers begin the season on February 10 in Mobile, Ala., at the South Alabama Invitational that runs through the 12th. Memphis then plays in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas on February 16-19 and will face Hawaii, UNLV, Idaho State, BYU, Long Beach State and Indiana.

The home opener for Memphis will be on Tuesday, February 21, in a doubleheader against Mississippi Valley State. After skipping a year, the Memphis Blues City Classic returns on February 24 through the 26th. The Tigers will host Miami-Ohio, Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, Missouri State and Southeast Missouri State in the tournament.

The final spring tournament for Memphis will be the Tennessee Classic in Knoxville. The Tigers will face Boston University, Tennessee, East Tennessee State and Louisville in the tournament as well as an exhibition against the Dutch National Team.

The C-USA opener for the Tigers will be on March 10 in a three-game series at UAB in Birmingham, Ala. The Blazers will also host the Conference USA Championship Tournament on May 10-12.

The Tigers return five of 10 starters and 14 letterwinners from 2011 including senior first baseman Jessica Phillips who set school season records with 15 home runs and 44 RBI, while batting .336. Memphis also returns three of four pitchers from a staff that finished third in C-USA with a 1.81 ERA, including junior Carly Hummel who went 21-8 with a 1.46 ERA and eight shutouts last season.

Joining the group are six newcomers, including two junior transfers in third baseman Jami Miller (Kirkwood Community College) and shortstop Laura Curtis (Chattanooga State).