Western Michigan kicks off softball season

Published 11:06 pm Wednesday, February 9, 2011

KALAMAZOO — The Western Michigan softball program again opens its 2011 season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

The Broncos are looking to get back to the Mid-American Conference Tournament title game after missing out in 2010.

The Broncos return 11 upperclassmen, including career and season home run record holder Lexi Jager .  She and junior Gracie Barstad led the team in batting average a season ago. Western Michigan also returns three pitchers from its rotation last season, including 2009 All-MAC hurler Meredith Whitney.

The Broncos also welcome five newcomers to the program.

WMU was recently selected to finish fourth in the MAC West behind Ball State, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois.

The Broncos begin their journey back to the MAC Tournament title game at the Kajijawa Classic where the competition will be elite. WMU will face nationally ranked Arizona State and Oklahoma at the tournament as well as Northwestern, Cal-State Northridge and Utah.

It is one of four early season tournaments Western Michigan will play in 2011, including two tournaments hosted by South Florida and another hosted by Missouri.

The Broncos continue their non-conference season at Oakland, Notre Dame and Michigan State, while also hosting IPFW. WMU host CMU and EMU (April 1-3) during opening weekend of the MAC season.

Western Michigan also hosts Akron and Ohio (Feb. 15-17), Toledo and Bowling Green (April 22-24) and travel partner Northern Illinois (April 30-May 1).

Big Ten softball

A new season of Big Ten softball begins today with Indiana getting the 2011 campaign under way.

Nine conference squads will be in action at various non-conference tournaments during the opening weekend of play.

Following Indiana’s season opener, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Ohio State all begin play on Friday, with Minnesota and Purdue hitting the diamond for the first time on Saturday. Wisconsin gets its season started on Feb. 17, and Penn State begins the 2011 slate on Feb. 18.

Four conference teams received votes in the national preseason polls prior to the season. Reigning Big Ten Champion Michigan is ranked 11th in the NFCA Coaches Poll and eighth in the USA Softball rankings. Ohio State is No. 22 in the NFCA poll and No. 24 by USA Softball, while Illinois is No. 24 in both polls. Northwestern received votes in both polls.