Jan. 29, 2004
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team will play one of the toughest schedules in the country according to the NFCA/USA Today and ESPN/USA Today Preseason polls. The Yellow Jackets will face six teams ranked in the top 10, along with playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference which sent three of five teams to the NCAA Tournament last season. The ACC preseason poll selected Tech (38-25, 3-4 ACC) to finish in a tie for second in the league with North Carolina (40-22-1, 4-3 ACC) and Virginia (37-26, 3-5 ACC).
“Our schedule is tough,” said head coach Ehren Earleywine. “Rankings don’t mean a whole lot at this time of the year, but we know that we have some great challenges ahead of us none the less. Playing a good schedule is ideal in allowing us to see how good we are and what we need to do to get this team to the next level.
“Regardless, we don’t have control over rankings, polls, or what other teams are doing. We have to focus our efforts into seeing how good we can become through improving our technique, effort and teamwork. That’s all we can control and we intend to do the best we can in each of those areas. After that, whatever else happens, happens.”
The Rambling Wreck will face No. 9/9 Louisiana-Lafayette (47-11) in the opening weekend of the season at the ULM Mardi Gras Tournament in Monroe, La. The Jackets and Ragin’ Cajuns will hook up on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m.
At the Leadoff Classic, the Yellow Jackets will face two ranked teams in pool play, taking on No. 8/8 Nebraska (39-17) on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. and No. 10/7 Michigan (44-16) on Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. The Leadoff Classic will be played in Columbus, Ga.
The next preseason ranked opponent for Tech will be No. 2/3 Arizona (56-7) in the Hillenbrand Invitational Tournament hosted by the Wildcats in Tucson, Ariz. The Jackets and ‘Cats will play on Saturday, March 6 at 5 p.m.
Tech and Georgia (57-14) will continue its storied rivalry on March 31 in Atlanta. The Jackets and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader at Glenn Field beginning at 2 p.m.
The Yellow Jackets and No. 19/20 Florida State Seminoles (46-11), winners of the last two ACC Championships, will meet in Tallahassee, Fla., on April 3 for a conference doubleheader. The ACC match-up is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
The final preseason ranked opponent for Georgia Tech will be Southeastern Conference favorite Alabama (49-21). The Crimson Tide begin their season with a No. 6 ranking in both polls. The Jackets will host Alabama for a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Glenn Field.
Tech will also face Mississippi State (34-30) on May 8, in Mississippi State, Miss., for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs received three votes in the NFCA/USA Today poll.
The Georgia Tech softball team will begin its season in Monroe, La., for the Mardi Gras Tournament, Feb. 7-8. The Jackets will open up tournament play against Gardner-Webb at 11 a.m. on Friday.
