Month: April 2019

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The collegiate softball season is already a month old as March has snuck up on us. This weekend, NCAA Division III is highlighted by 27 top-25 matchups, all taking place at the NFCA’s Division III Leadoff Classic, March 2-4 in Tucson, Ariz. The loaded field features 2017 national champion Virginia Wesleyan, national runner-up St. John Fisher, national championship participants Trine, Illinois Wesleyan and St. Catherine, along with 16 more programs who earned berths to the NCAA Tournament

NFCA DIII Leadoff Classic Top-25 matchups

Tournament Central

All games MT

March 2

10 a.m.

20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh v. 22 George Fox (Field 2)

21 Central v. 6 Trine (Field 3)

T24 Babson v. 11 Christopher Newport (Field 4)

12:30 p.m

18 Messiah v. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Field 2)

11 Christopher Newport v. 21 Central (Field 3)

6 Trine v. T24 Babson (Field 4)

T24 Berry v. RV St. Thomas (Field 5)

3 p.m.

9 Texas Lutheran v. 2 St. John Fisher (Field 6)

5:30 p.m.

2 St. John Fisher v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 5)

17 Moravian v. 1 Virginia Wesleyan (Field 8)

March 3

10 a.m.

13 East Texas Baptist v. 1 Virginia Wesleyan (Field 8)

3 p.m.

T24 Babson v. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Field  2)

22 George Fox v. 18 Messiah (Field 4)

T24 Berry v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 5)

RV St. Thomas v. 9 Texas Lutheran (Field 6)

6 Trine v. 2 St. John Fisher (Field 8)

5:30 p.m.

21 Central v. T24 Babson (Field 1)

18 Messiah v. 6 Trine (Field 3)

11 Christopher Newport v. 22 George Fox (Field 4)

9 Texas Lutheran v. T24 Berry (Field 5)

March 4

9 a.m.

9 Texas Lutheran v. T24 Babson (Field 6)

11:30 a.m.

1 Virginia Wesleyan v. 9 Texas Lutheran (Field 8)

2 p.m.

13 East Texas Baptist v. 6 Trine (Field 1)

22 George Fox v. 5 Illinois Wesleyan (Field 3)

4:30 p.m.

11 Christopher Newport v. 13 East Texas Baptist (Field 2)

2 St. John Fisher v. 22 George Fox (Field 4)

20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh v. RV St. Thomas (Field 7)

 

NCAA DI

March 2

Noon (PT) – 25 Michigan v No. 8 Baylor (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

3 p.m. (ET) – 6 Oregon at 13 Florida State | Live Stats

3:45 p.m. (PT) – 11 Alabama at 1 Washington | Live Stats

7:35 p.m. (CT) – 23 McNeese State at 10 LSU | Live Stats

March 3

10 a.m. (PT) – 2 Florida v 8 Baylor (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

2 p.m. (PT) – 3 UCLA v 21 Minnesota (Sand Diego Classic I) | Live Stats

5 p.m. (PT) – 11 Alabama at 1 Washington | Live Stats

March 4

11:30 a.m. (ET) – 6 Oregon at 13 Florida State | Live Stats

2 p.m. (PT) – 8 Baylor v 18 Louisiana (Judi Garman) | Watch ($)

 

NCAA DII

March 2

2 p.m. (CT) – 21 Texas A&M-Commerce at No. 18 Cameron (DH) | Live Stats

March 3

1 p.m. (CT) – 21 Texas A&M-Commerce at No. 18 Cameron | Live Stats

March 4

1 p.m. (ET) – 13 Southern Indiana v. 19 Winona State (Clermont, Fla.) | Watch ($)

 

NAIA

March 2

6:15 p.m. (CT) 8 William Carey v. 14 Reinhardt (Gulf Shores, Ala.) | Live Stats

March 3

1:30 p.m. (CT) – 2 Columbia v. 14 Reinhardt (Gulf Shores, Ala.) | Live Stats

2 p.m. (CT) – 1 Oklahoma City v. 13 Ottawa (Kan.) (Friends Tournament) | Live Stats

LAS VEGAS — Record-breaking attendee numbers and keynote speaker Jessica Mendoza highlighted the opening day of the 2017 NFCA Convention at Bally’s Las Vegas. With 1,685 attendees, it is the second straight year the association’s marquee event set a record, eclipsing last year’s 1,592 attendees.

Wednesday kicked off with three, three-hour pre-convention seminars, one more offering for the membership this year. Arkansas assistant coach Matt Meuchel crunched the numbers in “How Statistics & Metrics Can Help You Win More Games”, five highly successful veteran coaches imparted their wisdom in “Lessons in Leadership” and the third year of the Assistant Coaches University.

Following various committee meetings, the Triple Crown Sports “Rookie” Orientation, designed for first-time attendees and led by Nebraska’s Rhonda Revelle, Georgetown’s Pat Conlan, NFCA executive director Carol Bruggeman and Auburn’s Mickey Dean guided members through their first-ever convention.

Led by NFCA president Karen Weekly and the respective NFCA Board of Director Division reps, the membership groups from High School through NCAA Division I brought forth their issues going into their respective caucuses in the brand new Issues Forum.

After Weekly and Bruggeman greeted the jam-packed room during the “First-Pitch” Opening Welcome, a passionate Mendoza addressed those in attendance and urged them to grow the game for the better. They are the ones who can shape young ladies lives.

The evening concluded off with USSSA’s Leadoff Reception as attendees mingled over food, beverages and music.

Thursday will focus on business, coaching milestones, exhibitors, and the first two speaking sessions. Additionally, the always popular mentoring session and two sponsored social events in the Scrap Yard Sports Happy Hour and the Diamond/PGF Social off site at Margaritaville.

Start your Thursday with a bolt of energy during Jenn Williams’ (MIT) early morning Blackjack Bootcamp and grab some food at the Schutt Sports Continental Breakfast. At 8:30 a.m., the NFCA’s membership groups will discuss important topics and issues at their respective caucuses. Following the caucuses, celebrate coaching milestones, while enjoying a hearty meal at the Victory Club Luncheon.

Be sure to check out the sold out exhibit hall with 135 companies in attendance and then listen the NFCA Hall of Famer Mike Candrea lead off our speaker lineup, followed by our Division I Championship Series pitching coaches Melyssa Lombardi of Oklahoma and Florida’s Jennifer Rocha.

In the evening, the mentoring session is followed by the Fireside Chats, which will break into hitting and pitching conversations, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ “Coaching Today’s Athlete.”

Photo courtesy of Jade Hewett

Click:cultural heritage

The first North Atlantic right whale calf of the winter season has been spotted off the Florida coast heading north with its mother, a known resident of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says on Facebook that the two endangered whales were sighted near the mouth of the state’s St. Johns River.

It says the mother — referred to by her catalogue number, 2791 — was spotted five days earlier off the Georgia coast.

Right whales typically migrate south from the North Atlantic to give birth off the coasts of Georgia and Florida from December through March.

Critically endangered

Melissa Munro, a spokeswoman for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, says in a statement that no newborns were recorded last year, and the population sits at a critically low number.

She says the population has been downgraded to 411 — only 71 of which are females that could potentially reproduce.

“This one baby represents a whole lot of hope,” Munro said, adding that five females have been identified as possibly expecting calves.

But despite the “joyful” news, she said right whales are “not out of the woods. Not by a long stretch.”

U.S. federal officials said earlier this month that last year was slightly worse than average for the entanglement of large whales, which is a major threat to marine populations.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said entanglement in fishing gear, such as traps, nets and fishing lines, is a major concern for jeopardized species such as the North Atlantic right whale.

The Canadian government put in place measures to protect right whales after 17 of the endangered aquatic mammals died last year — a dozen of them in Canadian waters.

Fishing areas were closed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, speed limits were reduced for vessels and the Fisheries department increased surveillance of the area to look out for the whales.

Russia seeks to expand its agricultural exports, ultimately seeking to feed the whole planet, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said. The PM’s statement comes as the country enjoys a record surge in grain exports.

“Our country is, as they say, destined by the heavens to feed the whole planet. And we’ll try and do that,” Medvedev told journalists of Russian TV channels in a major interview aired on Thursday.

Russia’s grain exports surge more than 54% this year

Apart from being the country’s “destiny,” the foods plainly make “nice export goods,” the prime minister added. Russia’s agriculture has expanded greatly over the past few years, becoming a solid and profitable industry, unlike the way it was a couple decades ago.

“Back in 1990s, the agriculture was called a ‘black hole’, where one should not invest, we were told we should not feed ourselves since we can purchase everything elsewhere,” Medvedev said. “Now, it feeds our whole country. We’ve reached the main goals regarding food security and we’re exporting grains, other goods to the world market.”

This year, Russia has enjoyed vast growth of its agricultural exports, becoming the world’s top exporter of wheat. From January through September of 2018, exports of Russia’s wheat and meslin flour expanded by 54.3 percent compared to the previous year.

The amount of food which the county imports, in its turn, continued to shrink. Imports of grains to Russia dropped by 11.1 percent during the same period. Imports of barley have suffered an enormous decline, dropping a whopping 94 percent.

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The Canada Post strike saga entered a dramatic new chapter last week when the federal government announced it was considering using a law to get postal workers back on the job.

Last week, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu said the Liberal government did not want to resort to using back-to-work legislation, but noted there was “limited progress” in the talks between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post and that the feds had “exhausted” all options.

Hajdu said the Liberals maintain that the best outcome is one that is reached by both parties at the negotiating table, but if that can’t happen, then the government would have to intervene.

Two days later, the government tabled the Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, or Bill C-89.

Back up. What is back-to-work legislation?

In some ways, it’s just that: a law that aims to get employees back on the job.

But it’s more complicated — and controversial.

“The basic premise of labour law and collective bargaining in Canada is that the parties are allowed to engage in their own collective bargaining and then to engage in strikes and lockouts as a way of applying leverage if they can’t get agreements through the bargaining process,” said Michael Mac Neil, an associate professor at Carleton University’s law department, told HuffPost Canada.

It’s used as a “last chance measure” when two parties can’t reach a deal on their own, he added.

The government says it’s wading into the Canada Post issue because both parties have not made any progress in negotiations and that it has “exhausted” all options.

You’re telling me a government can force me to work? This is my nightmare. It’s time for revolution.

No, it’s not that broad. A federal or provincial government can mandate some employees back to work if the type of job they have is deemed essential to issues like health and security, Mac Neil said.

Of course, the jobs have to be in the government’s jurisdiction, too. Canada Post is a Crown corporation, so it’s a federally-run shop. Similarly, the months-long strike at Toronto’s York University, which fell under the provincial government’s jurisdiction, was also ended with back-to-work legislation from the Ontario government.

“When the government makes an assessment that the amount of harm that’s being caused by a strike is more than the general public should be required to bear, then they will on a one-off basis pass legislation ordering the strike to stop and ordering the workers to go back to work,” he said.

This also involves installing some type of dispute-resolution system for the two parties, whether it’s mediation or arbitration, or both.

So the back-to-work law’s main goal is to end a strike, then?

Yes, but another complicating factor is that the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that the right to strike is protected by the Constitution.

“So for the government to demonstrate intervening and putting a limit on strikes, it has to have a very persuasive case for doing so,” Mac Neil explained, “which usually means it has to be in a position to demonstrate that there is some considerable harm being done by the strike or the lockout.”

What is the harm being done in the postal strike, then?

Great question, made-up voice I’ve randomly introduced to ask me things.

The government is arguing that the harm here is financial. Hajdu said the postal system is an “essential service,” and that small businesses that rely on it to deliver their goods over the busy Christmas season could go bankrupt if the situation isn’t remedied quickly.

“And that’s one of the controversial issues in relation to the use of back-to-work legislation,” Mac Neil noted.

“Should it only be considered for situations where there is sort of a jeopardizing health and safety of the public? Or should it also be able [in situations] where it’s causing just economic harms?”

How does the law actually get people back on the job?

In this case, Bill C-89 would give a mediator-arbitrator chosen by the government 90 days to try and reach contract settlements with the union and Canada Post.

If that doesn’t work, the arbitrator could choose a settlement for the two parties or green light one of the final proposals that either party has suggested.

Once it receives royal assent, the law effectively makes striking — for the affected employees, specifically — illegal, Mac Neil said.

What actually deters people from striking, however, depends on several factors.

The employer could choose to file an injunction against people who don’t show up to work. If they don’t comply, he said, they could be charged with contempt of court. That could lead to fines and even imprisonment, “especially if union leaders are the ones continuing to call for a strike.”

The law could also have monetary fines baked into it for any employees (or employers) who break the rules.

Bill C-89, for example, could impose fines of between $1,000 and $50,000 per day on anyone found in contravention of the Act, and up to $100,000 per day against Canada Post or the union if they are found guilty of violating its terms.

And there’s always the possibility of “disciplinary action,” Mac Neil said.

“They could suspend them or fire them.”

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess the postal workers’ union is not happy about this.

Not one bit. CUPW, which is calling for better pay, more job security and minimum guaranteed hours for its workers, among other things, said in a statement over the weekend that a back-to-work law would send its workers “back to the same old unresolved problem.”

“Postal workers will not accept another violation of our right to free collective bargaining,” said Mike Palecek, CUPW’s national president, in a statement.

“It’s not just a matter of our Charter rights. This bill legislates continued injuries, unpaid work, gender inequality, and general dishonesty and disrespect.”

The union says “all options are on the table” when it comes to pushing back should the legislation pass.

One of those options is taking the government to court, according to Meghan Whitfield, president of CUPW’s Toronto Local 626.

In 2011, the union launched a similar challenge to the former Conservative government under Stephen Harper. It ended with a victory for postal workers after an Ontario court ruled the Tories violated the workers’ constitutional rights by ordering them back to work.

“Another option is defying the legislation, whether we’re fined or not,” she told HuffPost.

Whitfield said postal workers feel “betrayed” by the Liberal government.

“Back in 2011, this was happening to us under the [Stephen] Harper government. CUPW organized, mobilized that we made sure we got rid of Stephen Harper and the Conservative government. We did do a lot of work with the Liberals.”

Whitfield said back-to-work legislation creates a lot of uncertainty for workers. The tension can get worse after the legislation is passed, she added, because the arbitrator could side with the employer.

“And if the arbitrator takes that we basically start back at ground zero.”

As of Monday, Bill C-89 is still being debated in the Senate. If it goes through, workers will be forced back on the job at noon the day after it goes into effect.

\With files from The Canadian Press

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Thirty of the top NCAA® softball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as candidates today for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate softball.

 

Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee State

Briana Matazinsky, Manhattan

Rebecca Blitz, Indiana

Paige Parker, Oklahoma

Devin Brown, South Alabama

Kylee Perez, UCLA

Kaylee Carlson, Auburn

Erika Piancastelli, McNeese State

Ivie Drake, Georgia State

Randi Rupp, Texas State       

Lea Foerster, Michigan State

Jacquelyn Sertic, N. Dakota State

Meghan Gregg, Tennessee

Vanessa Shippy, Oklahoma State

Kylee Hanson, Florida State

Taylor Van Zee, Washington

Brittany Hitchcock, Hawaii

Tori Vidales, Texas A&M

Carley Hoover, LSU

Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall

Gabrielle Kelliher, Marist

Carlee Wallace, Baylor

Morgan Klaevemann, Florida State

Allie Walljasper, LSU

Meghan Kovac, Bucknell 

Emily Watson, Tulsa

Kayli Kvistad, Florida

Taylor White, Ohio State

Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic

Carolyn Wright, Lehigh 

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
 
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. 
 
The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
 
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2018 Women’s College World Series®.
 
For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

Courtesy of Premier Sports Management

TORONTO — Police forces in cities across Canada were investigating multiple bomb threats on Thursday as authorities in the U.S. said similar threats sent to dozens of locations appeared to be a hoax.

Police departments in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as RCMP detachments in B.C. and Manitoba, were investigating multiple threats.

One busy subway station in downtown Toronto was briefly evacuated Thursday afternoon due to a threat received in the area, but King Station was up and running again within hours.

A spokesman for Toronto police said it wasn’t clear whether that threat, or any of “at least 10” received across the city, were related to those in other locations.

“The problem with that thinking is — if you believe they’re related and this is nonsense — then your investigation suffers and your response suffers,” Const. David Hopkinson said in an interview.

“We know … that a number of other cities have received bomb threats. To us, that doesn’t matter — we will investigate them seriously every time.”

In Montreal, police responded to five emailed bomb threats received by local businesses Thursday afternoon.

Agent Jean-Pierre Brabant, a police spokesman, said the emails were the same as those received elsewhere in North America. They warned in imperfect English that unless $20,000 in Bitcoin was paid, a bomb would go off.

“Each call was taken very seriously,” Brabant said. “We sent police officers to the site, they searched the premises. We found nothing suspicious. There were no explosives.”

It was not necessary to call in the bomb squad, he added.

He said there was nothing connecting the companies, which were spread across the city.

“It appears to be a hoax, but we are not taking any chances,” Brabant said.

The Calgary Police Service said in a statement that the threats received there were “not believed to be credible,” but officers were taking precautions nonetheless.

“The threats are being received by email and they have been sent to various locations throughout the morning,” its statement reads.

“Similar threats are being received across the continent and are believed to be connected.”

Police in Edmonton issued a similar statement, saying they had received several reports of bomb threats emailed to local businesses.

South of the border, a wave of bomb threats emailed to hundreds of schools, businesses and government buildings triggered searches, evacuations and fear. However, there were no signs of explosives, and authorities said the scare appeared to be a crude extortion attempt.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. dismissed the threats, saying they were meant to cause disruption and compel recipients into sending money and were not considered credible.

Some of the emails had the subject line: “Think Twice.” They were sent from a spoofed email address. The sender claimed to have had an associate plant a small bomb in the recipient’s building and that the only way to stop him from setting it off was by making an online payment in Bitcoin.

With files from The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Los Alamitos won twice this past week to stay in the top spot, and the top 10 teams were unchanged in the latest USA Today Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 poll.

The (12-0) Griffins outscored their two opponents 20-6 to remain unbeaten, while five of the other teams in the first 10 also won all their games. The other nine squads in that group were idle.

Hamilton (21-1), Land O’ Lakes (16-1) and Eagle (12-0-1) moved up two places apiece in spots 11 through 13, as did No. 14 Immaculate Heart, which hasn’t yet started its season, but maintained its position ahead of 15th-ranked Pembroke Pines (16-1), who didn’t play either.

New poll teams Cibola (24-1) and Clovis (15-0) were next at 16 and 17, while last week’s No. 21 team, Madison (6-0), won three games to surge three places to No. 18. The four other newcomers to the rankings — Jackson, Siegel, Tualatin and Spanish Fork — are a combined 46-2 this season.

State rankings submitted by NFCA member coaches are used to compile the USA Today Sports/NFCA High School Super 25.

USA Today Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll – April 5, 2018

Rank

Team

2018 Record

Previous

1

Los Alamitos (Calif.)

12-0

1

2

Katy (Texas)

22-1

2

3

Keller (Texas)

22-1-1

3

4

Orange Lutheran (Calif.)

14-1

4

5

Norco (Calif.)

10-1

5

6

Hurricane (W. Va.)

7-0

6

7

Johnson (Texas)

22-0

7

8

Neshoba Central (Miss.)

18-0

8

9

Bishop O’Connell (Va.)

8-0

9

10

North Davidson (N.C.)

14-0

10

11

Hamilton (Ariz.)

21-1

13

12

Land O’ Lakes (Fla.)

16-1

14

13

Eagle (Idaho)

12-0-1

15

14

Immaculate Heart Academy (N.J.)

0-0

16

15

Pembroke Pines (Fla.)

16-1

17

16

Cibola (Ariz.)

24-1

NR

17

Clovis (Calif.)

15-0

NR

18

Madison (Va.)

6-0

21

19

Jackson (Wash.)

9-0

NR

20

Huntingtown (Md.)

5-0

22

21

Crown Point (Ind.)

2-0

23

22

Siegel (Tenn.)

20-1

NR

23

Tualatin (Ore.)

8-0

NR

24

Scott County (Ky.)

6-1

18

25

Spanish Fork (Utah)

9-1

NR

Dropped out: Bentonville (Ark.), Bingham (Utah), Louisville Male (Ky.), O’Connor (Ariz.), Powell (Tenn.) and Sparkman (Ala.).

US investor Michael Calvey, accused of embezzling US$37.5 million, should remain in custody pending trial, the Russian court ruled out.

The court rejected his appeal to be released on bail or moved to house arrest as the detainee might flee the country.

Calvey, the founder and senior partner of Baring Vostok private equity group, was arrested earlier this month, along with three other executives from his fund, for allegedly embezzling $37mn (2.5 billion rubles) from Vostochny Bank via a fraudulent scheme.

According to investigators, the investor and his associates allegedly persuaded the bank’s board to accept shares of a company instead of paying off a debt. While the shares were said to be worth over 3 billion rubles ($45 million), their actual value was 600,000 rubles ($9,000).

If found guilty, he could receive up to 10 years in prison along with a fine of up to one million rubles ($15,000).

Calvey denies wrongdoing, insisting he was falsely accused by the bank’s shareholders to pressure him in a business dispute over Vostochny Bank, where he’s a board member. Calvey tried to challenge several deals made by the bank’s co-owner, Artem Avetisyan, in the London Court of Arbitration.

Calvey’s detention was criticized by prominent business figures in Russia, including Sberbank head Herman Gref, Yandex CEO Arkady Volozh, and Russia’s business ombudsman, Boris Titov, who insisted the case has nothing to do with criminal law. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said that the Kremlin “is closely following the developments” of the case.

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ESPN will continue its commitment to NCAA Division I Softball with more than 650 games this season across its portfolio of networks. The industry-leading schedule features appearances by 23 of the USA Today / NFCA preseason Top 25 with more than 20 television appearances by the top five teams—No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Washington, and No. 5 UCLA. More than 80 televised games will spotlight ranked teams, with more than 40 of those match-ups featuring a head-to-head ranked showdown.

Games will be available on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network, SEC Network +, ACC Network Extra, and the ESPN App.

Highlights of this year’s blockbuster schedule include:

  • Marquee Match-Ups Throughout the Entire Season:
  • No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida Series (March 24-25)
  • No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 10 Baylor (March 31st)
  • No. 2 Florida at No. 11 Alabama Series (April 7-9)
  • No. 7 Arizona at No. 3 Oregon (April 7)
  • No. 2 Florida at No. 9 Florida State (April 11)
  • No. 5 UCLA at No. 7 Arizona (April 13)
  • N0. 6 Texas A&M at No. 8 LSU (April 22)
  • No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida (April 27-28)
  • No. 3 Oregon at No. 4 Washington (April 29)
  • No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 11 Alabama (May 5)

ESPN and ESPN2 Schedule Highlighted by Reigning Back-to Back Champions and No. 1 ranked Oklahoma: Head Coach Patty Gasso and the Sooners will have four televised matchups throughout the regular season, traveling to No. 10 Baylor (March 31), and hosting Texas (April 28 and 29) and No. 24 Oklahoma State (May 5). Last season, Oklahoma swept Florida in the WCWS Finals, including an epic 17-inning game one. The two-game sweep (June 5-6 on ESPN) averaged a total live audience (TV + streaming) of 1,720,000 viewers, the most-watched sweep in Women’s College World Series Finals history.

SEC Network: First pitch of a jam-packed schedule of more than 50 games is Tues, March 6, when No. 14 Ole Miss hosts Boston College in Oxford, Miss. Later that same week, conference play will be in full swing for “All Softball Weekend,” eight SEC match-ups across two days (March 10-11). All eight games feature an appearance by a member of the Top 25, with six of the eight games see ranked opponents facing off. Among the many highlights on the network this season, Bases Loaded—a three-hour special presentation featuring all 12 SEC teams—returns on Friday, May 4, at 7 p.m. ET. 

Longhorn Network: The home of the Longhorns will carry every regular season home game and feature a slate of 40 games total including appearances by ranked teams No. 4 Washington, No. 7 Arizona and No. 18 Michigan. The Longhorns face the Huskies early in the season (February 21), the Wolverines as part of the Texas Invitational (February 23-25) and the Wildcats in a regular season series (March 2-4). The schedule kicks off with the Texas Classic (February 9-11).The full Texas Longhorn schedule is available here. 

SEC Network +: More than 250 games will be available this season. The SEC has nine schools in the preseason Top 25—the most of any conference—including No. 2 Florida, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 8 LSU, No. 11 Alabama, No. 12 Tennessee,  No. 13 Auburn, No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 17 Kentucky, and No. 25 Georgia. 

ACC Network Extra: More than 220 games, featuring all 11 schools, will be available to stream via the ESPN App. The schedule is highlighted by 20 appearances of No. 9 Florida State. ACC Network Extra’s schedule will continue to be updated throughout the season.

ESPN App: All televised games, as well as SEC Network + and ACC Network Extra, will be available via the ESPN App. ESPN’s industry leading schedule features games from 19 conferences including—ACC, American, ASUN, American East, Big 12, Big South, Big Ten, Big West, Horizon League, Ivy, MEAC, Metro Atlantic, Missouri Valley, Pac-12, SEC, Southland, Sun Belt, SWAC and Western Athletic. 

Conference Championships: Wrapping up the regular season schedule again this year is a triple header of conference championships airing on ESPN and ESPN2 (May 12)—American, ACC and SEC. The first and second rounds of the SEC tournament will air on SEC Network and the semifinals will air on ESPNU. Early rounds of the ACC tournament will be available on ACC Network Extra. A full schedule of post-season play, including additional conferences, will be available at a later date. 

NCAA Division I Softball Championship: ESPN continues as the home of the postseason beginning with the selection show on Sunday, May 13 at 10 p.m. on ESPNU. Complete details for coverage of Regionals, Super Regionals and the Women’s College World Series will be available in the coming months.

Courtesy of Kimberly Elchlepp (espnmediazone.com)

Date Time Game Network Fri, Feb 9 5:30 p.m. Incarnate Word at Texas LHN   8 p.m. Wisconsin at Texas LHN Sat, Feb 10 2 p.m. Colorado State at Texas LHN   4:30 p.m. Wisconsin at Texas LHN Sun, Feb 11 11 a.m. Colorado State vs. Wisconsin LHN   1:30 p.m. Incarnate Word at Texas LHN Wed, Feb 21 6 p.m. No. 4 Washington at Texas LHN Fri, Feb 23 10 a.m. Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech   LHN   12:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. No. 18 Michigan LHN   3 p.m. Ohio State vs. Wichita State LHN   6 p.m. No. 18 Michigan at Texas LHN   8:30 p.m. Wichita State at Texas LHN Sat, Feb 24 10:30 a.m. No. 18 Michigan vs. Virginia Tech LHN   4 p.m. Virginia Tech at Texas LHN   6:30 p.m. Ohio State at Texas LHN   9 p.m. Ohio State vs. Wichita State LHN Sun, Feb 25 Noon Virginia Tech vs. Wichita State LHN   2:30 p.m. No. 18 Michigan at Texas LHN Wed, Feb 28 7 p.m. TAMU CC at Texas LHN Fri, Mar 2 5:30 p.m. No. 7 Arizona at Texas LHN Sat, Mar 3 Noon No. 7 Arizona at Texas LHN Sun, Mar 4 Noon No. 7 Arizona at Texas LHN Tues, Mar 6 7 p.m. Boston College at No. 14 Ole Miss SEC Network Sat, Mar 10 1 p.m. Arkansas at No. 25 Georgia SEC Network   3:30 p.m. No. 14 Ole Miss at No. 6 Texas A&M SEC Network   6 p.m. No. 17 Kentucky at No. 2 Florida SEC Network   8:30 p.m. No. 13 Auburn at No. 8 LSU SEC Network Sun, Mar 11 Noon No. 17 Kentucky at No. 2 Florida SEC Network   2 p.m. No. 14 Ole Miss at No. 6 Texas A&M SEC Network   5 p.m. No. 13 Auburn at No. 8 LSU ESPN2   6 p.m. Arkansas at No. 25 Georgia ESPNU Mon, Mar 12 7 p.m. Arkansas at No. 25 Georgia SEC Network Tue, Mar 13 6 p.m. Texas at South Carolina SEC Network Wed, Mar 14 7 p.m. Indiana at No. 17 Kentucky SEC Network Sat, Mar 17 Noon No. 8 LSU at No. 17 Kentucky SEC Network   5 p.m. Mississippi State at Missouri SEC Network   8 p.m. No. 11 Alabama at No. 13 Auburn ESPNU Sun, Mar 18 1 p.m. Mississippi State at Missouri SEC Network   4:30 p.m. No. 8 LSU at No. 17 Kentucky ESPNU   6 p.m. No. 11 Alabama at No. 13 Auburn SEC Network Mon, Mar 19 7 p.m. No. 8 LSU at No. 17 Kentucky SEC Network Wed, Mar 21 7 p.m. Central Arkansas at Mississippi State SEC Network   7 p.m. Texas State at Texas   LHN Fri, Mar 23 5:30 p.m. Kansas at Texas LHN Sat, Mar 24 1 p.m. Kansas at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 12 Tennessee at South Carolina ESPN2   5 p.m. No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida ESPN2   8 p.m. No. 17 Kentucky at No. 13 Auburn SEC Network Sun, Mar 25 Noon Kansas at Texas LHN   2 p.m. North Carolina at Notre Dame ESPNU   7 p.m. No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida ESPN2 Mon, Mar 26 7 p.m. No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida SEC Network Tue, Mar 27 7 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at Texas LHN Wed, Mar 28 7 p.m. Furman at South Carolina SEC Network Sat, Mar 31 5 p.m. No. 11 Alabama at No. 17 Kentucky ESPN2     No. 25 Georgia at No. 12 Tennessee SEC Network   7 p.m. No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 10 Baylor ESPN Sun, April 1 Noon South Carolina at No. 6 Texas A&M ESPNU   6 p.m. No. 25 Georgia at No. 12 Tennessee SEC Network Mon, April 2 7 p.m. No. 25 Georgia at No. 12 Tennessee SEC Network Wed, April 4 7 p.m. Louisville at No. 17 Kentucky SEC Network   7 p.m. UTSA at Texas LHN Fri, April 6 4:30 p.m. North Carolina A&T at Florida A&M ESPNU   6:30 p.m. No. 12 Tennessee at No. 13 Auburn ESPNU   8:30 p.m. Texas A&M at Mississippi State ESPNU Sat, April 7 Noon Samford at Texas LHN   1 p.m. No. 2 Florida at No. 11 Alabama ESPN2   2:30 p.m. Samford at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 7 Arizona at No. 3 Oregon ESPN2     No. 11 Tennessee at No. 13 Auburn ESPN2   6 p.m. Missouri at No. 25 Georgia ESPNU Sun, April 8 Noon Samford at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 2 Florida at No. 11 Alabama ESPN2     No. 6 Texas A&M at Mississippi State SEC Network   5 p.m. Liberty at Longwood ESPNU Mon, April 9 7 p.m. No. 2 Florida at No 101 Alabama SEC Network Wed, April 11 6 p.m. Michigan State at No. 18 Michigan ESPNU   8 p.m. No. 2 Florida at No. 9 Florida State ESPN2 Fri, Apr 13 6 p.m. No. 8 LSU at No. 12 Tennessee ESPNU   8 p.m. Texas Tech at Texas LHN   10:30 p.m. No. 5 UCLA at No. 7 Arizona ESPNU Sat, Apr 14 Noon No. 11 Alabama at Arkansas ESPNU   1 p.m. No. 8 LSU at No. 12 Tennessee ESPN2   2 p.m. Texas Tech at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 17 Kentucky at No. 6 Texas A&M ESPN2 Sun, Apr 15 Noon Rutgers at No. 16 Michigan ESPNU   Noon Texas Tech at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 17 Kentucky at No. 6 Texas A&M SEC Network   7 p.m. Mississippi State at No. 14 Ole Miss ESPN2 Mon, Apr 16 7 p.m. NC State at North Carolina ESPNU     Mississippi State at No. 14 Ole Miss SEC Network Tue, Apr 17 5:30 p.m. No. 10 Baylor at Texas LHN Wed, Apr 18 7 p.m. Southern Miss at No. 11 Alabama SEC Network Fri, Apr 20 5:30 p.m. Missouri at South Carolina  SEC Network   5:30 p.m. No. 24 Oklahoma State at Texas LHN Sat, Apr 21 Noon Missouri at South Carolina SEC Network   2 p.m. No. 24 Oklahoma State at Texas LHN   9:30 p.m. No. 4 Washington at No. 5 UCLA ESPNU Sun, Apr 22 Noon No. 20 Tulsa at Houston ESPNU   Noon No. 24 Oklahoma State at Texas LHN   3 p.m. No. 12 Tennessee at No. 11 Alabama ESPN2   4 p.m. Nebraska at No. 16 Minnesota ESPNU   5 p.m. No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 8 LSU SEC Network Mon, April 23 7 p.m. Louisville at No. 6 Florida State ESPNU     No. 12 Tennessee at No. 11 Alabama SEC Network Wed, April 25 7 p.m. Texas Southern at Texas LHN Fri, April 27 5:30 p.m. No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida SEC Network Sat, April 28 Noon No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida ESPN2     Mississippi State at South Carolina SEC Network   2 p.m. Texas at No. 1 Oklahoma ESPN2     No. 13 Auburn at No. 6 Texas A&M SEC Network   4 p.m. No. 3 Oregon at No. 4 Washington ESPN2     No. 14 Ole Miss at Arkansas SEC Network   6 p.m. No. 11 Alabama at No. 25 Georgia SEC Network Sun, April 29 Noon No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida ESPN2   2 p.m. Texas at No. 1 Oklahoma ESPN2   4 p.m. No. 3 Oregon at No. 4 Washington ESPN2   5 p.m. No. 14 Ole Miss at Arkansas ESPNU Mon, April 30 7 p.m. No. 14 Ole Miss at Arkansas SEC Network Wed, May 2 7 p.m. Incarnate Word at Texas LHN Fri, May 4 7 p.m. Bases Loaded SEC Network Sat, May 5 1 p.m. No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 11 Alabama SEC Network   3 p.m. No. 2 Florida at Missouri SEC Network   7 p.m. No. 24 Oklahoma State at No. 1 Oklahoma ESPNU Sun, May 6 2 p.m. Penn State at No. 16 Minnesota ESPNU   3 p.m. No. 2 Florida at Missouri SEC Network   5 p.m. Arkansas at No. 8 LSU SEC Network Wed, May 9 Noon SEC Tournament – First Round SEC Network   2:30 p.m. SEC Tournament – First Round SEC Network   5 p.m. SEC Tournament – First Round SEC Network   7:30 p.m. SEC Tournament – First Round SEC Network Thu, May 10 Noon SEC Tournament – Second Round SEC Network   2:30 p.m. SEC Tournament – Second Round SEC Network   5 p.m. SEC Tournament – Second Round SEC Network   7:30 p.m. SEC Tournament – Second Round SEC Network Fri, May 11 3 p.m. SEC Softball Semifinal ESPNU   5:30 p.m. SEC Softball Semifinal ESPNU   10:30 p.m. UC Riverside at CSU Fullerton ESPNU Sat, May 12 Noon American Softball Championship ESPN2   Noon ACC Softball Championship ESPN   8 p.m. SEC Softball Championship ESPN