Weekend Test Ahead in Texas for Princeton Softball

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Headed to Texas this weekend, the Princeton softball team's docket will include five games against four teams, among them a Saturday doubleheader against Louisiana and host Texas, teams ranked or receiving votes in national polls.

Awards already: Alexis Laudenslager, the reigning Ivy League Pitcher of the Year, won Ivy Co-Pitcher of the Week honors, striking out 24 batters in 14 1/3 innings with a 1.95 ERA in two appearances over the season's first weekend. In a 1-0, one-hit, three-walk win over Elon, Laudenslager struck out 11, one short of her then-career high, and the next day in a 5-4, eight-inning loss to Liberty, Laudenslager went the distance, resetting her career best with 13 Ks, getting the 13th strikeout in the seventh inning. Laudenslager enters the week ranked eighth in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings, at 11.7.

Preseason pick: Princeton enters as the defending Ivy League champion and the league's NCAA tournament representative a year ago, and the Tigers were picked first in the Ivy League preseason media poll this season, receiving 13 of the 16 first-place votes. The Tigers finished 27-17-2 last season and 17-4 in the Ivy League to win the league title, defeating Harvard in a best-of-three Ivy League Playoff Series for the NCAA tournament bid. In its history, Princeton has won 20 Ivy League titles and has competed in 11 NCAA tournaments, making the Women's College World Series in 1995 and 1996. Replacing the Ivy League Playoff Series this year is the Ivy League Tournament, a four-team, double-elimination event held May 11-13 at the home field of the highest seed.

Strong returning group: Princeton returns seven All-Ivy League selections from a year ago, including Ivy Pitcher of the Year Alexis Laudenslager and Ivy Rookie of the Year Sophia Marsalo, plus Ivy Coach of the Year Lisa Van Ackeren. Princeton's returning first-team All-Ivy honorees last season were Laudenslager, Marsalo (first base), Serena Starks (outfield), Allison Ha (utility) and Adrienne Chang (designated player). Grace Jackson (shortstop) and Lauren Sablone (outfield) are second-team All-Ivy returnees.

Rookies: Julia Dumais had her first three collegiate hits during the opening weekend last weekend and Brielle Wright saw 4 2/3 innings in the circle while Courtney Harrison was a pinch runner in two games.

Hey Coach: Head coach Lisa Van Ackeren is in her 11th season as Princeton's head coach. She is a three-time Ivy Coach of the Year (2016, 2017, 2022) and has helped the Tigers to three NCAA regionals. Van Ackeren had an outstanding pitching career at Lehigh, helping the team to three NCAA tournaments, including knocking out Princeton in the 2008 NCAA regionals, in a career that saw her earn four first-team All-Patriot League honors, four Patriot League Pitcher of the Year awards, and the 2008 Patriot League Player of the Year award.

Against the Opponents

Live Stats for all games

McNeese State
Friday, 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT
Record: 10-5 (entering Wednesday)
2022 finish: 40-21, NCAA regional final
vs. McNeese all-time: Princeton leads 1-0, only meeting in 1994

Tennessee State
Friday, 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT
Sunday, 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT
Record: 8-6 (entering weekend)
2022 finish: 15-39, missed OVC tournament
vs. Tennessee State all-time: Have not met

#9 (NFCA)/#11 (ESPN.com/USA Softball) Texas
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT | Longhorn Network | Audio Broadcast
Record: 11-2-1 (entering Wednesday)
2022 finish: 47-22-1, NCAA finalist
vs. Texas all-time: Texas leads 1-0, only meeting in 2019

#24 (ESPN.com/USA Softball) Louisiana
Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT
Record: 10-6 (entering weekend)
2022 finish: 47-13, NCAA regional final
vs. Louisiana all-time: Louisiana leads 3-0, meeting in 1996, 1997 and 2004

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