Full Schedule

WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita State softball team has begun spring practice with head coach Kristi Bredbenner also revealing the 2018 schedule which will feature matchups against 11 teams that reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including two teams that reached the College World Series; Washington and defending National Champion Oklahoma.

"As far as preparation goes for a new conference we are definitely playing tough non-conference opponents to prepare us for The American," Bredbenner said. "I think the focus for our team will be taking it [the schedule] one game at a time and trying to get as many quality wins as we possibly can before heading into conference play."

The Shockers kick off the 2018 schedule on the road with five games in three days at the Plainsman Invite, hosted by Auburn University Feb. 9-11, where they will face Marshall and Auburn who both finished the 2017 season at the NCAA Tournament and ranked 24th and 13th respectively. 
 

	HOME SCHEDULE
March 6	Arkansas
March 10/11	Missouri State
March 10/11	Western Illinois
March 23-25	Memphis*
Apr. 4	Kansas
Apr. 6-8	Tulsa*
Apr. 18	Oklahoma State
Apr. 20-22	UCF*
May 2	Mizzou (Doubleheader)

Two games against Washington, who finished last season ranked third in the nation and advanced to the College World Series, follow at the Sam Houston State Tournament Feb. 16-18, before the Shockers travel south again for the University of Texas Tournament, Feb. 23-25, for matchups against Ohio State, Texas, Michigan and Virginia Tech. 

A three game series with Nebraska in Lincoln precedes a five-game homestand, including the 2018 home opener on Tuesday March 6 [3 p.m.] against Arkansas who finished the 2017 season receiving votes and participated in the NCAA Regional Round. 

Former MVC rival Missouri State visits Wilkins Stadium, March 10-11, alongside Western Illinois for a three-team matchup before the Shockers travel to Creighton to face the Bluejays and Iowa in the Creighton Tournament March 16-17.

A lone matchup against Omaha on the road follows before Wichita State steps into American Athletic Conference play for the first time in Wilkins Stadium, March 23-25, against the University of Memphis in a three-game series.

"Our team is excited, especially about the new conference, they're excited about the opponents that we're playing, pretty much every weekend we're facing a power five school that probably went to a [NCAA] Regional, potentially a World Series," Bredbenner said. "I think it's a difficult schedule, there's no doubt about that, but at the end of the day it's going to prepare us for the American Athletic Conference and that's what it's all about."

The first of a home-and-home against Oklahoma State follows midweek, with the Shockers traveling to Stillwater on March 27 before the Cowgirls return the favor on April 18 for the matchup at Wilkins Stadium. 

Wichita State faces UConn in Storrs [March 29-31] before welcoming in-state rival Kansas on Wednesday April 4th. The Shockers then host 2017 American Athletic Conference champions Tulsa for a three-game series the same week.

On April 11, the Shockers make the 180-mile trip to Norman, Okla., for a single game against 2017 National Champions Oklahoma at Marita Hynes Field, before traveling to Texas to face the University of Houston the same week [April 13-15].

UCF make their first trip to Wichita, April 20-22, with the Shockers making their first trip to ECU the following weekend [27-29]. Missouri rounds out the home schedule on May 5th with a doubleheader at Wilkins before the Shockers finish their inaugural season in The American in Tampa, Fla., against USF, May 4-6. 

The American Athletic Conference Softball Championship will also be in Tampa the following weekend [May 10-12] hosted by the USF Bulls. 

Schedule By The Numbers;
24 road games
18 games at Wilkins Stadium
11 opponents that reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament
11 opponents who finished in the top-50 2017 RPI
8 Midweek or weekend series at Wilkins Stadium
7 American Athletic Conference opponents
6 opponents who finished 2017 in top-25 rankings
4 Big Ten opponents
3 Southeastern Conference opponents
2 College World Series participants
1 2017 National Champion