The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Announces 2012 Slate
11/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 22, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB softball team released its 2012 schedule Tuesday that features 56 games, including 19 at the UAB Softball Field. The Blazers will face 11 opponents this season that received NCAA tournament berths a year ago, including NCAA Super Regional participants Alabama, Arizona, Houston and Kentucky.
At the conclusion of the 2012 regular season, the Blazers will welcome the top eight teams in the league when UAB hosts the 2012 Conference USA Championship, May 10-12, for the first time in school history.
“Hosting the 2012 C-USA Softball Championship is a wonderful opportunity for UAB as well as Birmingham,” UAB head coach Marla Townsend said. “I anticipate the community showing great support and foresee us having good crowds each day.”
UAB is coming off its most successful season in school history, after recording 39 wins and receiving its second-consecutive invitation to the NCAA tournament. The 2011 season is the second-straight season the Blazers have earned 30 or more wins and the fifth time in program history. The 39 wins tied for the most ever in school history set in 2002.
Seven position starters and four pitchers return for the Blazers, including All-C-USA Second Team selection Mandy Lowman and All-Freshman Team member Leigh Streetman.
UAB will kick off the 2012 campaign at the FIU Combat Classic, Feb. 10-12, at the FIU Softball Complex in Miami, Fla. UAB will take on FIU, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State and UMass .
UAB will trek to Tucson, Ariz. next for the Hillenbrand Invitational hosted by Arizona at Hillenbrand Stadium, Feb. 17-19. The tournament participants include Arizona, North Dakota, Southern Utah and Western Kentucky.
“This schedule is going to be very challenging and that is the way we planned it. It has always been my philosophy to play the top teams in the country,” Townsend said.
The Green and Gold will return to Birmingham for their 2012 home opener against Alabama on Feb. 21. The Crimson Tide captured the Southeastern Conference Championship for the second-straight year and finished the 2011 season ranked No. 3 in the nation.
The Blazers will host Kennesaw State in a doubleheader Feb. 28, before competing in the Alabama Easton Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala., March 2-4. UAB will take on Alabama, Maryland and UMass.
The fourth and final tournament for the Blazers will be the Kentucky Tournament March 16-18 in Lexington, Ky. with matchups against Kentucky, North Carolina State and UMKC.
Last season, Conference USA saw five teams reach postseason play in C-USA tournament champ East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Tulsa and UAB. The Blazers open their C-USA slate at home against Memphis (March 10-11). The Green and Gold will also host Houston (March 31-April 1), UCF (April 14-15) and Tulsa (May 5-6).
UAB will face four league opponents on the road in Marshall (March 23-24), East Carolina (April 6-7), UTEP (April 21-22) and Southern Miss (April 28-29).
The Blazers will also play non-conference midweek doubleheaders against Lipscomb (March 15) and 2011 NCAA Regional team Chattanooga (April 18), and single games against South Alabama (March 14), Mississippi State (March 21), Troy (April 3), Samford (April 10) and 2011 NCAA Regional qualifier Jacksonville State (March 6 & April 17).
