KU Announces 2006 Schedule

Aug. 29, 2005

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Six early-season tournaments and at least 20 games at Arrocha Ballpark highlight the 2006 University of Kansas softball schedule, head coach Tracy Bunge announced Monday. The Jayhawks will open their season February 10-12 at the Wilson/DiMarini Tournament in Houston, Texas, and compete in postseason action May 10-13 at the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla.

After the season-opening tournament in Houston, KU will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic Feb. 17-19. The Jayhawks will then wrap up the month of February (24-26) at the highly-competitive Palm Springs Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

KU will compete in the Golden Hurricane Classic March 3-5 in Tulsa, Okla., and follow with its home opener against Missouri State on March 8. The Jayhawks will then host Minnesota, Portland State and Eastern Michigan in the Jayhawk Classic March 10-11 in Lawrence.

KU wraps up tournament play at the University of Hawai’i Invitational (Honolulu, Hawaii) March 16-19 before kicking off Big 12 competition March 25 in College Station, Texas. The Jayhawks will face at least 15 teams (seven from the Big 12) from the 2005 NCAA Regional field in 2006.

Big 12 foe Nebraska will visit Arrocha Ballpark on April 4 and Border Showdown rival Missouri will come to Lawrence April 19. The Jayhawks will travel for three Big 12 series — Texas A&M (March 25-26), Baylor (April 8-9) and Oklahoma (April 29-30), while hosting Oklahoma State (April 1-2), Texas Tech (April 15-16), Texas (April 22-23) and Iowa State (May 6-7).

In addition to its Big 12 schedule, KU will host non-conference doubleheaders at home (Missouri State, Creighton, Wichita State) and two on the road (UMKC, Arkansas). February and March tournaments include matchups with Florida, Oregon, Houston, Cal Poly, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Northwestern, San Diego State, Hawai’i and Minnesota.

“We have a very experienced team returning and have put together a schedule that will be demanding from the first weekend through the conference schedule,” Bunge said. “To be considered among the best in the country, you have to beat the best and this schedule provides us with that opportunity. Tournaments in Palm Springs and Hawaii will obviously be the highlights of our travel schedule, but they will also be extremely tough with the competition at each site. The Big 12 race will be just as competitive as usual. I expect six to seven conference teams to once again be in the top 25.”

Kansas returns 10 letterwinners, including seven starters, and welcomes six newcomers to the squad this season. In 2005, the Jayhawks finished 31-24 overall and 9-8 in Big 12 play and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 1999.

The Jayhawks open Fall Ball Sept. 24-25 as they host the Kansas Softball Invitational at Arrocha Ballpark.

Jump to online schedule.

Printable 2006 Schedule
Download Free Acrobat Reader