University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Softball Opens Season Today In New Mexico
2/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DENTON (2/9/07) - The fourth season in the new era of Mean Green softball begins today at the Las Cruces Hilton Invitational with two games. North Texas plays Colorado State at 1:30 pm and the host school, New Mexico State at 5:30 pm.
NT is 1-2 in season openers, winning its fi st season-opener last year against Louisiana Tech. North Texas and Colorado State will meet for the first time in their series history. The Mean Green is 5-4 against NMSU, a former member of the Sun Belt Conference. NT opened its season last year at the Sam Houston State tournament, where it lost its first game of the year to Sam Houston. NT is 0-3 against Sam Houston.
The biggest difference between the 2006 team and the present squad can be explained in one word: depth. The North Texas softball team filled its roster with 11 new faces for the 2007 season despite losing only one senior to graduation.
One familiar face is third baseman Susan Waters. For the second straight year, Waters has been named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Waters was a First Team All-Sun Belt honoree last year after leading the Mean Green with 14 doubles, 18 home runs and 53 RBI. She finished the season tied for 18th in the nation with a home run average of .30 per game and ranked 29th in the nation in slugging percentage (.720).
North Texas was picked to finish seventh in the nine-team Sun Belt Conference. The conference added three new teams for the 2007 season: Louisiana Monroe, Florida Atlantic and South Alabama. The Mean Green was picked to finish ahead of newcomers Louisiana Monroe and South Alabama.
The Mean Green will play a total of six games in the three-team tournament. Bracket play will begin on on Saturday afternoon and conclude Sunday with consolation and championship games.
Click here to read this week's game notes
