Dec. 14, 2007
DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois softball program announced its 2008 schedule, which includes a very challenging 32 straight road games to begin the season. Overall, the Huskies play 44 road games out of 57 total games, some of which are double-headers.
"Being on the road for the majority of our season will be a challenge," said NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard. "Adversity makes teams stronger; if we can win on the road with all the complications that brings, winning becomes an expectation when the cards are in our favor."
NIU also will play in a handful of tournaments with very competitive teams. The Huskies will open up in Louisville, Ky. with the Louisville Tournament with Nebraska, Mississippi and Louisville. The first game will be on February 22 against Louisville at 1 p.m. CST. NIU will also head to Fort Myers, Fla. to participate in the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament with Mercer, St. Francis (Pa.), Mount St. Mary's and Florida Gulf Coast.
The Huskies will stay near the Mid-West when they make a trip to St. Louis, Mo. and Iowa City, Iowa for the St. Louis University Tournament and the Iowa Tournament. In St. Louis, NIU will see Alabama A&M, Evansville and St. Louis. At Iowa City, the Huskies will face Western Illinois and Iowa.
The Huskies will also head west for an Oregon tournament where they will face Portland State, Washington, Oregon State and Oregon.
"Our preseason tournament schedule gives us a great opportunity to make a statement," said Chouinard. "We open up in Louisville against great competition: Louisville, Nebraska and Ole Miss. As we travel to the west coast, our opponents include PAC -10 foes Oregon State, Oregon and Washington, who finished tied for third in the nation last season. The only way to be the best is to beat the best. And the only way to beat the best is to play them."
NIU will have a tough in-state matchup in their home-opener with a very good Northwestern team on April 1 at 6 p.m. CST
"Opening our home schedule against Northwestern, who finished tied-for-third in the country last season, is another opportunity to achieve greatness," Chouinard said. "It will keep us prepared and hungry for conference play."
Fittingly, the Huskies start Mid-American Conference play on the road against Eastern Michigan at 12 p.m. CST on March 28. The Huskie MAC home-opener is against Buffalo on April 11 at 1 p.m. CST, which is the third game of a season long eight-game home stand. The Huskies will host four MAC series with matchups against Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Ball State. Overall, NIU has 14 MAC road games and eight conference home games.
"Coaching in the Mid American Conference for the first time is something I look forward to. My staff and I will do everything that we can not only to prepare our team, but to prepare ourselves for conference play. With change comes opportunity, and opportunity is all we need to find success."
-NIU-
