OXFORD, Miss. – Fourteen teams that advanced to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, and five regular season tournaments, including two at home, highlight Ole Miss Softball’s 2017 schedule.
The Rebels enter their 21st season of action and third under head coach Mike Smith, coming off a banner year in 2016 that saw Ole Miss qualify for its first NCAA Tournament in school history.
Of the 56-game regular season schedule, Ole Miss will play 27 at home and 29 on the road, and take part in five tournaments to open the year, totaling 23 contests in tournament play. The Rebels will enter the year with one of the nation’s toughest schedules with 10 games against four 2016 Women’s College World Series participants.
The 2017 slate gets underway Feb. 10-12 in California at the Easton Invitational, which features three NCAA Tournament teams (Cal State Fullerton, North Dakota State, Ole Miss). Ole Miss will take on the host Titans in Friday’s nightcap, and also face Loyola Marymount twice in the three-day event. A tilt with Pacific from the West Coast Conference awaits the Rebels, as well as the first-ever meeting between Ole Miss and North Dakota State.
After the trip out west, the Rebels will trek to Houston Feb. 17-19 for the Rawlings Classic hosted by the University of Houston. There, Ole Miss will kick off the tournament against WCWS Champion Oklahoma in a rematch of the 2016 NCAA Norman Regional Final. The Rebels will also play the host Cougars once, Incarnate Word for the first time, and Rhode Island twice to close out play in Texas.
Following two-straight weeks west of Oxford, the Rebels hit the road for the Sunshine State Feb. 24-26 for the Stetson Invitational. Ole Miss will again take on two first-time opponents in DeLand, Florida in Colgate and the host Hatters, and also face South Florida in a pair of contests.
With the first 15 games on the road, the Rebels get a break and play 14-straight in Oxford beginning March 1 against Louisiana Tech. The Red & Blue Classic is set for March 3-5 at the Ole Miss Softball Complex and will feature action between Mississippi Valley State, Austin Peay, Nicholls State, and UT Martin.
A week later, Ole Miss welcomes four more teams to town for the Ole Miss Classic and will play the likes of MAC opponent Bowling Green, Eastern Kentucky from the OVC, Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State and in-state foe Jackson State.
A midweek contest with Southeastern Louisiana awaits the Rebels on March 15, before the demanding SEC slate begins at home March 17-19. Texas A&M makes the trip to Oxford that weekend after the two didn’t play each other last season.
This year’s SEC schedule doesn’t feature a weekend series with rival Mississippi State, but the two will take part in a midweek showdown March 22 in Oxford. From there, the Rebels will take on three-straight NCAA Tournament teams in Tennessee (March 24-26) in Knoxville, Jacksonville State (March 29) on the road, and Kentucky (March 31-April 2) at home. The weekend series with the Wildcats will mark the Rebels’ 2017 Alumni Weekend, with more info to be announced at a later date.
With two midweek tilts against Central Arkansas (April 4) and Memphis (April 12) sprinkled in, Ole Miss will take on WCWS teams in back-to-back weeks in Auburn (April 7-9), on the Plains, and LSU (April 14-16) at home.
The Rebels play their final midweek road game on April 18 with the return trip to UT Martin, before heading to Gainesville for a series with the Florida Gators April 21-23. The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State will make their return trip to Oxford April 26, before a big weekend showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide awaits the Rebels April 29 – May 1.
The home finale is set for May 3 versus Southern Miss, before the regular season closes May 5-7 at Missouri. The 2017 SEC Tournament will be played at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on the campus of the University of Tennessee, and will run May 10-13.
The Rebels return 15 players from last year’s squad, including seven starting position players and three pitchers that combined for 174 innings in the circle. Ole Miss also welcomes in a strong class of 12 newcomers that include two transfers and 10 freshmen.
For all Ole Miss Softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally, fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Softball on Snapchat under the handle, @OleMissSoftball.
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