University of North Texas Athletics
North Texas Announces 2007 Softball Schedule
8/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DENTON (8/25/06) - The University of North Texas has announced its 2007 softball schedule which features top quality opponents and three new conference teams.
Under third-year head coach Kelly Burns, the Mean Green has 15 home dates and one fall tournament. North Texas will play two tournaments during the fall season, including the University Classic on October 20-21, 2006.
"Once again, we have a highly competitive schedule this season," said Burns. "In addition to adding Arkansas to the list, we also have contests with Big XII members: Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. We are also extremely excited to be able to host our guests at our new facility, the Softball Stadium at Mean Green Village. For the first time in our school’s history, we will be playing softball on campus."
North Texas opens the spring season with a tournament at New Mexico State on Feb. 9-11 and then returns home to face Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Mean Green will play the Cowgirls in its new softball complex, located on Bonnie Brae next to the North Texas Soccer Field.
The Mean Green will participate in three tournaments during the regular season, including the Tulsa Invitational which North Texas will return to for the third straight year. In addition to the season-opening tournament at New Mexico State, the Mean Green will also play in the University of Texas Tournament for the first time.
NT’s home non-conference slate includes Oklahoma State, Nicholls State, Louisiana Tech, Central Arkansas, Missouri-Kansas City, Texas-Arlington, Oklahoma, Baylor and Stephen F. Austin. The Mean Green plays Arkansas for the first time in the history of the program on the road on March 6 and faces UTA and UMKC for the first time since the inaugural 2004 season. Oklahoma and Baylor were both nationally-ranked last year.
"The Sun Belt Conference will be even more challenging with the addition of Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Monroe and South Alabama," said Burns. "Our pre-season competition will allow us to more adequately prepare for our conference opponents, including those who went on to earn post-season berths such as UL Lafayette and FAU."
The Mean Green begins conference play with a home series against newcomer Louisiana Monroe on March 10-11, the earliest date it has ever started conference play. NT then travels to an away series against South Alabama, a brand new program. Sun Belt foes making their way to Denton include Florida International and Troy. North Texas closes out the regular season by playing non-conference opponents Stephen F. Austin and Centenary on May 1 and 4.
Middle Tennessee will host the Sun Belt Conference Tournament from May 9-12 in Murfreesboro. The top eight teams in the nine-team conference will make the tournament in 2007.
The Mean Green finished the 2006 season with a 22-38 overall record and a 3-12 conference mark. NT returns eight starters and 12 letterwinners for the upcoming season.
