USF Athletics

The American Regular Season Champions Return to the Diamond in February

December 13, 2018

TAMPA, Dec. 13, 2018 – The reigning American Athletic Conference champion Bulls will take on an impressive 2019 slate that features tests against eight NCAA Regional teams, three Super Regional opponents and one Women's College World Series squad.
 
Ken Eriksen (934-483) enters his 23^rd season as USF's head coach when the Bulls open their spring season on Thursday, Feb. 7, with the USF Opening Weekend Invitational that will run through Feb. 10. The Bulls will host Illinois State, No. 10 Arizona, No. 17 Michigan, N.C. State, and No. 4 Florida during the first weekend of action.

"Each year we challenge our program everyday with great competition, and simultaneously bring the best softball teams nationwide to Tampa," said Eriksen. "This season we will continue that standard. If you would rank the non-conference line-up of teams, USF Softball is among the nation's elite. Opening weekend we will give Tampa Bay one of the best softball tournaments, with the talent of a six-team NCAA regional."
 
USF will see Eriksen's USA Women's National Team experience come into play in the 2019 season, as the Bulls host Arizona during opening weekend, a team led by former USA softball head coach Mike Candrea. Together, Candrea and Eriksen were a part of the 2004 women's national team that won the gold medal in Athens Olympics. 
 
Following opening weekend, the Bulls will head to Candrea's turf for Arizona's opening home tournament, Feb. 15-17, where another impressive lineup awaits. USF will take on Alabama, Arizona, University of Illinois-Chicago, Cal State Fullerton, and New Mexico.
 
The Bulls will return to Tampa ready to host three teams in the USF-Rawlings Invitational, Feb. 22-24. The Bulls will take on Virginia Tech, Georgia State and No. 22 Texas State, playing both Georgia State and Texas State twice over the weekend.
 
In USF's first midweek doubleheader, the Bulls will look to avenge a pair of losses on the road last season. USF will host FGCU for two on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
 
The 16^th annual USF Series kicks off in March and is comprised of three different tournaments - the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Invitational (March 1-3), the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Showcase (March 8-9) and the USF-Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Spring Invitational (March 14-17). The USF series is the nation's largest NCAA Division I Women's Fast Pitch Softball tournament series. During the USF series, the Bulls will take on 13 of the 50 teams in the USF series, with four games at Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla.
 
USF will face South Carolina, Ball State, Middle Tennessee, Iowa and Western Michigan in the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Invitational. USF will take on Wisconsin, UMass, Indiana and St. Johns. During the USF-Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Spring Invitational, the Bulls will face Minnesota twice, Purdue, Butler, and FAMU.
 
The Bulls will have two midweek matchups in March, including a doubleheader with Central Michigan and Furman on March 6, and a game against Colgate on March 12.
 
American Athletic Conference play opens at home for the Bulls, with Tulsa visiting Tampa March 22-24. USF will travel to Houston, March 29-31, and return home to take on ECU the first weekend in April.
 
The Bulls' final midweek game will be in Gainesville on April 10. The Bulls will take on the No. 4 Gators in their newly remodeled Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium
 
USF's War on I-4 battles against rival UCF will take place in Orlando April 12-14, and the Bulls will remain on the road for Easter weekend, playing the series against the Huskies early in Storrs, Conn. USF will be at UConn from Thursday-Saturday (April 18-20), instead of the normal Friday-Sunday schedule.
 
The final home games for the Bulls will be against Memphis, April 26-28. USF will close the regular season slate at Wichita State, May 3-5.
 
The American Athletic Conference tournament will be hosted by Houston May 9-11.

Tickets for the 2019 USF softball season can be found HERE, or renewed HERE. Season tickets will be $80 ($64 for USF Alumni, Faculty, or Staff), and there will be a Flex Pack option that includes 10 tickets for $30. For single game pricing, the USF Opening Weekend Invitational will be $15 per day. All other opponent single game tickets will be $7 for ages 12 and over, and $5 for children under the age of 12.

View the full 2019 schedule HERE. 
 
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.