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The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska softball team opens its fall season this weekend when the Huskers travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., for five games in two days at the Augie Tournament, hosted by Augustana (S.D.) College. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
In the six-team, round-robin format, NU will play South DakotaState, St. CloudState, Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul and North DakotaState.
The Augie Tournament is the first of three scheduled fall tournaments for the Huskers. NU will also travel to Fort Collins, Colo., for the Colorado State Tournament Oct. 1-2, before wrapping up the fall season by hosting a stellar field at the Husker Fall Classic Oct. 14-16 at Bowlin Stadium.
The field at the Husker Fall Classic includes Nebraska and in-state rival Creighton, as well as defending national champion Michigan, the Canadian National Team and ColoradoState. Creighton and Canada will get an early start at the tournament, playing a doubleheader on Wednesday, Oct. 12 before the tournament officially begins on Friday, Oct. 14.
The tournament features 11 games, including five involving Nebraska. Highlighting the schedule are the Huskers’ primetime games against Michigan at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and a pair of games to close out the tournament against and the Canadian National Team and Head Coach Lori Sippel, who also serves as NU’s Associate Head Coach.
Nebraska is coming off a 36-23 campaign in 2005. The season culminated with the Huskers hosting their third consecutive NCAA Regional at Bowlin Stadium and earning a final No. 25 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll. The ranking extended NU’s claim to being one of only six programs in the nation to finish in each of the last 11 seasons ranked in the poll.
The Husker roster features 18 players, including 12 returning players and six newcomers. NU boasts seven returning starters, including 2004 first-team All-Big 12 selection senior Jessica Yoachim and second-team selections senior Trisha Tannahill and junior Ashley DeBuhr.
NU is scheduled to play 14 games this fall during a season that will last just more than one month. The Huskers opened fall practice on Monday, Sept. 12. NU is scheduled to begin the spring 2006 season at the Arizona State Tournament, Feb. 10-12 in Tempe, Ariz.