PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The 2018 softball season gets underway this week with all eight American teams in action.
USF plays host to Illinois State Thursday night of opening week before hosting its annual USF-Wilson Demarini Tournament Friday through Sunday. The Bulls will face Georgia State, No. 18 Michigan, UAB and No. 2 Florida during the three-day event.
Wichita State, in its first season in the American Athletic Conference, travels to Auburn, Ala. this week to compete in the Tigers’ Plainsman Invite. The Shockers open the tournament against No. 13 Auburn Thursday and close out the event with Tennessee Tech Friday morning.
Tulsa, who is ranked No. 20 in both major polls and first in The American to start this season, opens their spring campaign in Lake Charles, La. at the Cowgirl Classic. The Golden Hurricane captured its 11th conference championship (second in The American) while making its ninth NCAA post-season appearance.
Tulsa pitcher Emily Watson was named to the Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. Watson, the 2017 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, led the team and conference with an earned run average of 1.25 and opponent batting average of .178 over 58 games last season.
Houston opens its 2018 season this weekend at the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. The Cougars will play Texas Tech, No. 6 Texas A&M and Boston College over the course of the weekend.
UCF begins the 2018 softball season at the Friends of Jaclyn Invitational in Longwood, Fla. The Knights open the weekend with a matchup against former conference foe Louisville and will see Butler, Providence, RV Illinois and RV North Carolina during the three-day invitational.
UConn travels south this weekend to Jacksonville, Fla. for the Jacksonville Softball Tournament, while Memphis makes its season debut in Fort Myers, Fla., at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament. ECU opens its 2018 campaign in Miami Friday at the Felsberg Invitational.
Upcoming Schedule
Feb. 8 (Thurs.)
| Illinois State at USF |
6:30 pm ET |
| Wichita State vs. No. 13 Auburn |
6:30 pm ET |
Feb. 9 (Fri.)
| St. John’s vs. ECU |
9:00 am ET |
| Georgetown vs. Memphis |
10:00 am ET |
| Tennessee Tech vs. Wichita State |
10:00 am ET |
| RV South Carolina vs. ECU |
11:15 am ET |
| Army vs. UConn |
11:15 am ET |
| Texas Tech vs. Houston |
1:15 pm ET |
| Louisville vs. UCF |
2:30 pm ET |
| UConn vs. Jacksonville |
3:30 pm ET |
| Virginia vs. No. 20 Tulsa |
3:30 pm ET |
| Houston vs. No. 6 Texas A&M |
4:00 pm ET |
| Butler vs. UCF |
5:30 pm ET |
| Georgia State vs. USF |
7:00 pm ET |
| No. 20 Tulsa vs. RV McNeese State |
8:30 pm ET |
Feb. 10 (Sat.)
| Hofstra vs. ECU |
9:00 am ET |
| LIU Brooklyn vs. Memphis |
10 am ET |
| UConn vs. Jacksonville State |
10:30 am ET |
| Boston College vs. Houston |
11:00 am ET |
| St. John’s vs. ECU |
11:15 am ET |
| Ball State vs. Memphis |
12:15 pm ET |
| Providence vs. UCF |
1:30 pm ET |
| Maryland E Shore vs. No. 20 Tulsa |
1:30 pm ET |
| UConn vs. Jacksonville |
3:30 pm ET |
| No. 18 Michigan vs. USF |
3:45 pm ET |
| Texas Tech vs. Houston |
6:15 pm ET |
| RV Illinois vs. UCF |
6:30 pm ET |
| UAB vs. USF |
8:30 pm ET |
| No. 20 Tulsa vs. RV McNeese State |
8:30 pm ET |
Feb. 11 (Sun.)
| NC State vs. Memphis |
9:00 am ET |
| Army vs. UConn |
10 am ET |
| Houston Baptist vs. No. 20 Tulsa |
11:00 am ET |
| RV North Carolina vs. UCF |
Noon ET |
| Houston vs. No. 6 Texas A&M |
1:15 pm ET |
| ECU vs. RV FIU |
1:30 pm ET |
| No. 2 Florida vs. USF |
4:15 pm ET |
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