NORMAL, Ill. – The Redbirds will return to the Sunshine State, this time for the Aquafina Invitational, hosted by the University of Florida, Feb. 23-25.
Illinois State will open the tournament with a split doubleheader against Georgia Southern at 1 p.m. and tournament host No. 1/2 Florida. The Redbirds and the Eagles will meet again at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, before Illinois State plays Iowa State at 6 p.m. in another split doubleheader. Tournament action will wrap up for the Redbirds with a 7 a.m. matchup against Maryland on Sunday.
Redbirds vs. The Field
Illinois State will face Georgia Southern for the first time in program history. The Redbirds hold a 7-6 and 2-0 edge over Iowa State and Maryland, respectively. Illinois State's matchups with the Cyclones and Terrapins will be the first since the 2011 season. The Florida Gators lead the all-time series, 9-2, after shutting out the Redbirds, 9-0, in the season opening tournament at South Florida.
Preseason MVC
Returning starters and 2017 MVC first-team selections, utility player Shannon Felde, pitcher Sarah Finck, outfielder Riley Hale and first baseman Allison Spence, were named to the Missouri Valley Conference's 2018 preseason all-conference team. Illinois State was selected as the favorite to repeat as the Valley champion in 2018, receiving 88 points and two first-place votes. Southern Illinois, UNI and Drake each received multiple first-place votes, selected second, third and fourth, respectively.
Schedule Outlook
Illinois State begins the 2018 campaign on the road at five tournaments and plays two MVC series before the home opener on March 30. The nonconference slate features 12 NCAA Tournament teams from 2017, including super regional winner LSU, Women's College World Series runner-up Florida and back-to-back national champion Oklahoma. The team will also play three NCAA Tournament teams after beginning conference play: Southern Illinois, the reigning MVC Tournament champion, DePaul, the 2017 BIG EAST Tournament champion, and Illinois. The Redbirds will face seven teams ranked in the NCFA's preseason coaches' Top 25.
New to the Birdhouse
The Illinois State softball team added five newcomers to its roster in 2018, all hailing from Illinois. The Redbird freshmen pack a punch as all five were four-year varsity letter-winners and multi-sport athletes in high school. As a group, the class won eight IHSA regional championships and four sectional championships, while winning ASA state and northern national championships. Within the freshman class, there is an IHSA career RBI record holder, Herald & Review Player of the Year, team MVPs, members of NHS, and a senior class Valedictorian.
Up Next
The Redbirds travel to the LSU Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, next weekend. Illinois State will face off against Florida Atlantic, Purdue, McNeese State and tournament host LSU.
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter and Instagram @RedbirdsSB.
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