COMPLETE NOTES
The 2015 American Athletic Conference softball campaign begins this weekend with six of the seven conference teams in action. Houston and USF will kick things off on Thursday before four other conference teams begin play on Friday.
The Cougars return 11 letterwinners from last year’s squad and will face a pair of ranked foes (No. 3/4 Alabama, No. 23/23 South Alabama) over the weekend at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala.
USF, who is receiving votes in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, will host five teams during the USF Softball Classic in Tampa, Fla. The tournament field includes two top-10 programs in No. 1/1 Florida and No. 8/8 Michigan.
RV/RV UCF, the defending conference champion, begins play on Friday at the UCF Invitational in Orlando. The Knights, who return 19 members from last year’s championship squad, play host to George Mason and Boston College during the two-day invite.
Memphis travels to Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 6-8 for the LSU Tiger Classic. Over the course of three days, Memphis will take on No. 19/18 LSU, RV/RV NC State and Tennessee State. The Tigers return 12 letterwinners and six starters from 2014.
Conference newcomers East Carolina (ECU) and Tulsa will also kick off season-opening action this weekend with ECU staying at home to host the Pirate Classic on Feb. 6-8.
East Carolina welcomes Delaware State, Oakland, Longwood and RV/RV South Carolina to Greenville for the three-day tournament. The Pirates return 10 position players and three pitchers for their inaugural season in The American.
No. 21/22 Tulsa travels to Phoenix on Feb. 6-8 for the GCU Kickoff at Grand Canyon University, where the Hurricane will take on Santa Clara, Northern Colorado and the host Antelopes. Tulsa went 53-9 last season and won the Conference USA regular season and tournament championships.
Upcoming Schedule
Thurs., Feb. 5
^FIU vs. Houston - 7 p.m.
@Hampton at NR/RV USF - 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 6
$George Mason at RV/RV UCF - 1:30 p.m.
#Santa Clara vs. No. 21/22 Tulsa - 2:30 p.m.
!Oakland at East Carolina - 3 p.m.
^Southern Miss vs. Houston - 4 p.m.
$Boston at RV/RV UCF - 4 p.m.
#No. 21/22 Tulsa at Grand Canyon - 5 p.m.
%Memphis at No. 19/18 LSU - 5 p.m.
!Delaware State at East Carolina - 5:30 p.m.
@Illinois State at NR/RV USF - 6:30 p.m.
^Houston vs. No. 3/4 Alabama - 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 7
%Tennessee State vs. Memphis - 11 a.m.
#Santa Clara vs. Tulsa - Noon
^Houston vs. Jackson State - 1 p.m.
%Memphis vs. RV/RV NC State - 1:30 p.m.
$Boston College at RV/RV UCF - 1:30 p.m.
$George Mason at RV/RV UCF - 4 p.m.
!RV/RV South Carolina at East Carolina - 4:30 p.m.
@No. 8/8 Michigan at NR/RV USF - 6 p.m.
!Longwood at East Carolina - 7 p.m.
^Florida Gulf Coast vs. Houston - 7 p.m.
#No. 21/22 Tulsa at Grand Canyon - 7:30 p.m.
@Jacksonville at NR/RV USF - 8:15 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 8
%Tennessee State vs. Memphis - 10:30 a.m.
^Houston vs. Liberty - 11 a.m.
!Oakland at East Carolina - 11:30 a.m.
#Northern Colorado vs. No. 21/22 Tulsa - Noon
^Houston vs. No. 23/23 South Alabama - 2 p.m.
@No. 1/1 Florida at NR/RV USF - 4 p.m.
!RV/RV South Carolina at East Carolina - 4:30 p.m.
[^] Sand Dollar Classic (Gulf Shores, Ala.)
[@] USF Softball Classic (Tampa, Fla.)
[$] UCF Invitational (Orlando, Fla.)
[#] GCU Kickoff (Phoenix, Ariz.)
[!] Pirate Classic (Greenville, N.C.)
[%] Tiger Classic (Baton Rouge, La.)
All times EST and subject to change