Lobos Release 2019 Softball Schedule
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Head coach Paula Congleton and her staff have put together a competitive softball schedule for the Lobos’ 2019 season, featuring games against 11 teams that made the 2018 NCAA tournament, four that advanced to the Super Regionals and one team that competed in the Women’s College World Series.
“Lobo softball is excited to release our 2019 schedule,” said the second-year head coach. “As is typical for DI softball, we play in five tournaments before our Mountain West Conference competition begins.
“This year our tournament draw has us facing 11 top-50 teams in the nation such as Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Arizona and Cal State Fullerton.”
Four of the teams on UNM’s schedule finished the 2018 season in the top 15 in the ESPN/ USA Softball Collegiate postseason rankings with two in the top 10, and three additional teams concluded the season receiving votes. In the final NCAA RPI rankings, two were in the top 10with two more ranked 11-15.
Fans wanting to watch UNM at Lobo Softball Field will have just 16 opportunities to see the Lobos live and will have to wait until March 22 for opening day. It is the latest home opener in at least the last 15 years.
The Lobos open the season in Las Cruces with the NMSU Tournament against UTEP on Friday, Feb. 8, followed by contests against Creighton and New Mexico State on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Lobos will face the Miners twice and the Aggies four times throughout the season.
UNM then travels to Tucson, Ariz., for a game against Arizona on Valentine’s Day before beginning the Hillebrand Tournament at the University of Arizona on Feb. 15. Every team that the Lobos will face in the tournament made the NCAA tournament in 2018, with two appearing in a Super Regional.
Starting off the tournament is a matchup against Alabama, a SEC school that has been to the WCWS 11 times and advanced to the Super Regionals a year ago, ultimately losing to national runner-up Washington. Later that evening, the Lobos will go up against Cal State Fullerton, the first of two meetings against the Titans in 2019. On Saturday, UNM will have a second game against Arizona, a team that has won eight national championships, made 22 WCWS appearances and was selected to the NCAA tournament the last 32 years.
At the conclusion of that game, UNM faces UIC, a team that won the Horizon League Championship the last two years and the regular season championship the last four years. The Lobos close out the tournament on Sunday, Feb. 17 against the USF Bulls at 9 a.m. MT. The Bulls received an at-large bid last year after winning The American regular season title.
The busy month of February continues with the Lobos heading further west, to Hawai’i specifically, to take part in the Hawai’i Invitational.
UNM starts off with a single game against Hawai’i on Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. MT prior to the start of the invitational. On Thursday, Feb. 21, New Mexico opens against DePaul, with the Blue Demons coming off of their second-straight BIG EAST tournament title to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament in addition to their second BIG EAST regular season title in the last three seasons. The next day the Lobos have two games, with a 5:30 p.m. MT game against Canisius followed by a 10 p.m. MT game against the host Rainbow Wahine. The final game on the island is to be determined based on the standings, but the championship game for the invitational is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. MT.
After returning to the mainland, the Lobos conclude February and begin March at the Judi Garman Classic beginning with two more powerhouse SEC schools.
On Thursday, Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m. MT, the Lobos will play the Florida Gators, the defending SEC regular season and tournament champion. The Gators won their fourth-straight SEC regular-season championship and their fourth SEC Tournament championship in program history, finishing their season at the Women’s College World Series, which was their ninth appearance in the last 11 seasons. Florida won two national titles in the last five years (2014 and 2015) and finished runner-up in 2017. The next day, UNM faces the Tennessee Volunteers for the first time in program history, a team that has made the NCAA tournament the last 15 years and the Super Regionals each of the last two years.
The third game of the classic is against the LMU Lions on Saturday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. MT, winners of the 2018 Postseason NISC championship. UNM closes out the weekend with two games on Sunday, a 10:30 a.m. MT game against UConn and another meeting against Cal State Fullerton scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MT.
To close out the non-conference tournament portion of its schedule, UNM returns to southern California for the LMU Tournament, competing in four games throughout three days.
The Lobos are scheduled for two early morning games on Friday, March 8 with a 9 a.m. MT contest against Oregon State and an 11:15 a.m. MT tilt with Western Carolina. It will mark the first ever meeting between the Lobos and the Catamounts. The OSU Beavers are another NCAA tournament team who earned a fourth consecutive at-large bid in 2018. The Lobos and Beavers meet again on Saturday and the Lobos close with their second meeting of the year against LMU.
Mountain West competition begins at San Diego State with a three-game series starting on Friday, March 15, before UNM finally has its first home game against Colorado State on Friday, March 22. The Lobos host the Rams for three games that opening weekend in Albuquerque, which is the start of an eight-game homestand.
Following the CSU series, the Cherry and Silver hosts Summit League newcomer North Dakota for a mid-week doubleheader on Tuesday, March 26.
Conference play resumes at home with Nevada, followed by an out-of-conference doubleheader at NMSU on Tuesday, April 2 at 4 and 6 p.m.
The Lobos head back on the road to Utah State before returning home to play UTEP, MW champion Boise State and NMSU for a final time. Both the Broncos and Aggies are coming off of seasons that ended in the NCAA tournament.
To close out the regular season, the Lobos have a road series at Fresno State and UNLV, but sandwiched in between is the final three regular-season home games against San José State from May 3-5.
“The returners, transfers and freshmen who have worked hard all fall in preparation for the upcoming 2019 season are excited to play some of the best teams in the country and continue the process of rebuilding the program to a winning tradition,” said Congleton.
Lobo fans can attend all of UNM’s home softball games with the New Mexico Mutual Lobo Pride Pass. At just $50, the pass allows entry to indoor track, baseball and softball. To purchase, go to Purchase New Mexico Mutual Lobo Pride Pass, call 925-LOBO or visit the Lobo Ticket Office located in Dreamstyle Arena for more information.