Softball Announces Fall Schedule
Sep 14 | Softball
PISCATAWAY, NJ -First-year head coach Jay Nelson and the Rutgers softball team will open the 2006-07 academic year with five fall tournaments.
The Scarlet Knights will travel to the Binghamton Fall Kick-Off Tournament to face Lemoyne on Sept. 16 at 1:00 p.m. In its second game of the day, Rutgers will play Fordham at 3:00 p.m. Games for the second day of the tournament Sept. 17 have yet to be determined.
Nelson knows that, even though the championship season is months away, the fall will be an important time for the Scarlet Knights to become familiar with the new coaching staff.
"Since the staff is new to Rutgers, it will give us a chance to see how our athletes react in competitive situations," he said. "It also gives the team a chance to see how their coaches will react to them under game situations. It is critical that coaches and athletes build trust in each other during the fall season."
One weekend after traveling to Binghamton, Rutgers will head to Allentown, PA, to play in the Carole Weil Tournament Sept. 24-25, followed by the Pride Softball Fall Classic the next weekend, Oct. 1. All games are TBA.
On Oct. 7 and 8, the Scarlet Knights will host their only event of the Fall when Farleigh Dickinson and East Stroudsburg come to Rutgers for the Fall Invitational. The tournament opener will feature the Scarlet Knights against FDU at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, followed by Rutgers vs. East Stroudsburg at 1:30. On Sunday, FDU and East Stroudsburg will face off at 11:30 a.m. The final match-up, at 3:30 p.m., will be a battle between the two teams with the best record in the invitational.
To close the fall season, Rutgers will travel to Hofstra to play in a two-day event with times and match-ups TBA.
For the Scarlet Knights' newcomers, Nelson is hoping the adjustment to college softball is an easy one.
"It is expected that recruited athletes will fit right in and there will be a minimal period of adjustment," he said. "I am confident that the athletes Coach Willis recruited are of the highest caliber and will adjust in no time."
The Scarlet Knights finished 15-37 last year, including a 5-17 mark in the BIG EAST. Rutgers was led by Brittany Loisel (Gilbert, AZ) who earned third team all-BIG EAST honors as a freshman last spring. She started all 52 games, serving as the team's leadoff hitter and playing second base. Loisel led the team in batting average (.308), runs scored (24) and hits (52).
Through fall practice and tournaments, Nelson intends for not only the fresh faces on the squad to gain a better understanding of the game, but for the team as a whole to gain confidence in its ability.
"At this level there is no time to relax during a game and that is why it is very important that we develop athletes that love the game so there is no pressure and no fear of failure," he said. "The fall is a time of teaching, learning and thinking about the game. It is a time to work out the kinks and make mistakes so we can clear up things. When spring comes we want our athletes to react with confidence in every game situation."
