Michigan
North Carolina State
Wolverines Kick Off 2019 at Annual USF Opening Weekend Invitational
2/5/2019 3:45:00 PM | Softball
» No. 19 Michigan will kick off its 42nd season of intercollegiate play at the annual USF Opening Weekend Invitational with a five-game slate this weekend in Tampa, Florida.
» The Wolverines return 14 letterwinners from last season's squad, including six starting position players and two starting pitchers; among them are two All-Americans in LHP Meghan Beuabien and second baseman Faith Canfield.
» Head coach Carol Hutchins is in her 35th season at the helm of the Michigan program and, with a record of 1,571-504-5, is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA softball history.
THIS WEEK
The USF Opening Weekend Invitational
Friday, Feb. 8 -- vs. North Carolina State (Tampa, Fla.), 10 a.m.
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Friday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Arizona (Tampa, Fla.), 2:30 p.m.
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Saturday, Feb. 9 -- vs. Florida (Tampa, Fla.), 10:30 a.m.
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Saturday, Feb. 9 -- at South Florida (Tampa, Fla.), 3:15 p.m.
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Sunday, Feb. 10 -- vs. Illinois State (Tampa, Fla.), 9 a.m.
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• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
• Watch: Softball Profile - LHP Meghan Beaubien
The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team (0-0) will kick off its 42nd season of intercollegiate play with the annual USF Opening Weekend Invitational this weekend in Tampa, Florida. U-M will open play on Friday (Feb. 8) with games against North Carolina State (10 a.m.) and No. 7 Arizona (2:30 p.m.), square off against No. 5 Florida (10:30 a.m.) and host South Florida (3:15 p.m.) on Saturday (Feb. 9) and wrap play with a 9 a.m. slate against Illinois State on Sunday (Feb. 10). All games will be held at the USF Softball Stadium.
• Head coach Carol Hutchins is in her 35th season at the helm of the Wolverines. She has compiled a 1,571-504-5 record over her 35 overall seasons as an NCAA head coach. Hutchins became NCAA softball's all-time coaching wins leader when she earned her 1,458th with an 8-0, 5-inning win at Indiana on April 2, 2016, and became the first to reach 1,500 wins with an 11-3, six-inning decision against Kent State on March 19, 2017.
• Michigan returns 14 letterwinners, six starting position players and two starting pitchers from last year's squad. Among the Wolverines' returning starters are two All-Americans in senior second baseman Faith Canfield and sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien.
• Michigan returns all but two members of its everyday starting lineup, including four of its top five hitters from 2018, including its top two batting averages in Canfield (.391) and junior third baseman Madison Uden (.357). Canfield has batted .390 or better in each of the last two seasons, earning NFCA All-America third team honors both years, while senior outfielder Natalie Peters has batted .310 or better the last two seasons, including a .361 average two seasons ago.
• The Wolverines also return a stalwart in senior catcher Katie Alexander, who has started each of the last two seasons behind the plate and posted a career-best .314 average last season -- a 54-point improvement over the previous year -- with 14 extra-base hits and 24 RBI.
• Michigan returns two of its three pitchers from 2018 in Beaubien and sophomore right-hander Sarah Schaefer. The duo, along with graduated senior Tera Blanco, combined for a 1.43 ERA, 26 shutouts and a .167 opposing batting average.
• Beaubien became just the second freshman in program history to garner first team All-America honors after leading the nation with 33 wins and boasting a 1.16 ERA, 266 strikeouts and a .135 opponent batting average. She doubled up as the Big Ten's 2018 Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, was a top-10 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and a top-three finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year.
• The Wolverines return the bulk of their starting infield in senior second baseman Faith Canfield, already a three-year starter at the position, as well as sophomore shortstop Natalia Rodriguez and junior third baseman Madison Uden, who emerged at those positions over the season last year. U-M has several options to step in at first base, including senior Alex Sobczak and sophomore Taylor Bump.
• Alexander, Canfield and Uden will serve as the Wolverines' tri-captains for the season. It is the second straight season that Canfield will serve in the role. The trio was critical to the Wolverines' success last season.
• U-M welcomes a talented group of six freshmen for the 2019 season: RHP Alex Storako, catcher Hannah Carson, infielders Gianna Carosone and Morgan Overaitis, and outfielders Grace Chelemen and Lexie Blair. Storako is expected to contribute immediately from the circle, while Blair is penciled in to start in the Wolverine outfield.
• Of the 52 games on the Wolverines' 2019 schedule, fifteen are against teams who reached last season's NCAA Tournament, including Washington, UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon and Florida, all of whom reached the 2018 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
