Bulldogs Announce Grueling 2016 Spring Slate
November 06, 2015 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Expected to be more difficult than ever before, Mississippi State softball's 2016 schedule is highlighted by 16 games against six teams that reached the 2015 Women's College World Series. Head coach Vann Stuedeman announced MSU's full 2016 spring schedule Friday.
Within the 56-game schedule, the Bulldogs will play 28 at home, 17 on the road and 11 at a neutral site. State will play 31 games versus teams that appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
MSU has made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, all under Stuedeman. A tournament appearance in 2016 will mark the first time in program history State has made five straight tournament appearances.
Along with being scheduled to play six WCWS teams (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and UCLA), the Bulldogs will play another two teams that reached the Super Regionals (Kentucky and Missouri). Overall, MSU will play 15 teams that are coming off of an NCAA Tournament appearance (Baylor, Central Arkansas, Chattanooga, Longwood, South Alabama, Tennessee Tech and Western Kentucky).
“This year marks the 25th year of MSU softball, the 20th year of Southeastern Conference softball, the opening of our stadium and the first time that MSU has hosted the SEC tournament,” said Stuedeman. “Needless to say, the 2016 season is one of extreme excitement. We will be playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation which adds an entirely different level of excitement surrounding this season. Every game will be important. We will need all of the Maroon and White faithful to help us to victory. I invite you to come out, cheer on your Bulldogs, and when you are at the ballpark please stop and say hello.”
A $6-million project, the new MSU Softball Stadium will have 1,000 chair back seats for fans, a new athletic training room, state-of-the-art video board in left field and numerous other enhancements.
The Bulldogs will open their brand new facility on Thursday, Feb. 11 in their season opener against Georgia Southern at 5:30 p.m. The Bulldog Kickoff Classic will include Alabama A&M, Georgia Southern, Houston and Tennessee Tech, along with the host Bulldogs. State will play five games over the four-day event.
MSU will then leave the Magnolia State for a single game at Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 22), bookended by the South Alabama Jaguar Classic (Feb. 19-21) in Mobile, Alabama and the Mississippi Gulf Coach Tournament (Feb. 26-28) in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Stuedeman's Bulldogs will then return home for Bulldog Slamboree March 4-6 as Central Arkansas, Longwood, Northwestern State, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Western Kentucky will travel to Starkville for the weekend.
Next up will be a trip out west to the Long Beach State Tournament (March 11-13) in Long Beach, California for five games, including one game vs. Pac 12 power UCLA.
Other non-conference matchups consist of midweeks against Penn State (March 8), Southeastern Louisiana (March 22), Central Arkansas (March 23), UAB (March 30), South Alabama (April 6), Louisiana Tech (April 13), Southern Miss (April 19) and Mississippi Valley State (April 27).
State will open Southeastern Conference play at home March 18-20 against an Auburn team that won the 2015 SEC Tournament and reached the WCWS. Also coming to Starkville will be in-state rival Ole Miss (April 2-4), LSU (April 15-17) for Super Bulldog Weekend and Missouri (April 29-May 1).
Road SEC series the Bulldogs will play consist of Tennessee (March 25-27), Alabama (April 8-10) and back-to-back national champion Florida (April 22-24), before closing the regular season at Kentucky (May 6-8).
For the first time in program history, MSU will host the SEC Tournament (May 11-14). Admission to all regular-season games at the brand-new facility will be free, with tickets for the SEC Tournament set to go on sale early in the spring.
Ticket information will be announced at a later date for the event and all regular season MSU home games will be free to the public.
For more information on the MSU softball program, follow “HailStateSB” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also find all-access coverage of the Bulldogs on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”
