Sept. 8, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
After a record-breaking 2006 campaign that brought a regular-season conference title, a trip to the NCAA Regional, loads of individual accolades and head coach Melinda Fischer's 700th career win, the Illinois State softball team is ready to do it all over again. The Redbirds gear up for the upcoming season by hosting the first of four fall tournaments, Saturday and Sunday, at Champion Fields in Normal, Ill.
Fischer and her 2006-07 squad, that includes a group of eight newcomers, including freshmen, transfers and walk-ons, are ready to develop a team chemistry that will help to sustain that success.
"We are coming off a successful spring season and we would always like to think that we can transfer that confidence and that approach to what is going to happen in the following year," said Fischer. "We also understand that this is a whole new group of players. Going into the fall season is when a team finds out exactly where they are. That includes strengths and weaknesses and we will also be trying a lot of new looks, new lineups. There is also a development, as you go through the fall season, with your team chemistry. We are looking to build a foundation for the spring.
"I think the new group of freshmen, transfers and walk-ons will allow us to have some versatility and depth," continued Fischer. "As I look at it, I feel we have three positions open on the field after we graduated three key seniors. Those are things we have to find answers to. I think that answer may be by committee, at times, meaning that several players can, and will, fill those roles. They will bring us the ability to do some things differently. They bring in speed, slap-hitting. What we are going to try to do with this class is replace some of the strengths that we lost with last years' seniors."
The Redbirds will take the field at 10 a.m., taking on Illinois Central College (ICC). The Cougars finished 20-24 last season and are under the direction of ICC first-year head coach Heather Doty. Illinois State will then face the 2006 Great Lakes Valley Conference Champions, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIU-E), at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"ICC, under the new leadership of Heather Doty, will be very fundamental," said Fischer. "SIU-E has always been an extremely strong program. I think all of this weekend's games will be good contests for us. We go out there to win every time we step on the field. However, our approach to the fall season, in terms of winning is a lot different than it is when we will start in the spring. I feel unless we give players the opportunity to prove themselves on the field, we'll never know what they can do for us. I think this is a great opportunity we have in the fall season, getting to try new things and also seeing teams in competitive situations."
Sunday brings a 10 a.m. matchup with Saint Xavier and the tournament finale, a 4 p.m. game between the `Birds and Bradley.
Other teams competing in the 2006 Illinois State Fall Tournament include Southern Illinois and Western Illinois. A complete listing of tournament games and times can be found be clicking below:
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