Princeton University Athletics
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Seven 2010 NCAA Tournament Teams on Softball's '11 Slate
January 17, 2011 | Softball
Seven NCAA tournament teams from 2010 appear on the 2011 slate, which will take Princeton to pre-conference events in Maryland in Virginia with a stop in the nation's capital as well.
The 2011 schedule will have 10 home dates, starting March 27 against first-time opponent Marist and concluding with a visit from division rival Cornell on April 29.
Princeton's first tournament brings it to the University of Maryland at Baltimore County for a four-game event against Siena, Iona, Liberty and host UMBC from Mar. 4-6. Iona was the MAAC tournament champion last spring.
The following weekend, Mar. 12-14, will bring Princeton to the University of Virginia's tournament against the host Cavaliers, Fordham and Syracuse. All three teams were NCAA participants last year, Virginia and Fordham as at-large selections while Syracuse won the Big East tournament title.
The Tigers will remain in the Mid-Atlantic for the remainder of the spring break week, playing a doubleheader at Georgetown on Mar. 16 followed by a single game at George Washington the next day. A tournament at Maryland against the host Terrapins, Hampton, Villanova and Utah will close out the week, Mar. 18-20. Maryland was also an NCAA at-large selection last season.
Princeton will have two home non-conference dates before the Ivy League season begins, with doubleheaders against Marist on March 27 and Central Connecticut State on March 30.
Brown and Yale will come to Class of 1895 Field from April 1-2 to open the Ivy schedule, while Lehigh will continue its annual rivalry with Princeton on campus on April 6.
Princeton will close out play against the Ivy North division with the Harvard-Dartmouth trip April 8-9 before hosting a single game against Hofstra, the 2010 CAA champion, on April 12.
The Tigers will open Ivy South play at Penn April 16-17 before renewing the series with in-state foe Monmouth on April 20 at '95 Field. The Tigers and Hawks have not met since 2003.
A weekend series against Columbia at '95 Field will follow from April 23-24, while the annual split weekend with defending Ivy champion Cornell will see the Big Red come to town April 29 before the Tigers head to Ithaca on May 1. The Ivy League Championship Series will be hosted by the division winner with the better record and will begin May 7.
Siena, Syracuse, George Washington, Hampton and Marist will all be first-time opponents for the Tigers.
Princeton returns six of its 10 most frequent starters from last season, including catcher Sarah Rounsifer and infielder Megan Weidrick, two of the three Tigers to start all 44 games in 2010. In the circle, the Tigers return sophomores Liza Kuhn and Alex Peyton while bringing back senior Michelle Tolfa.