Blue Demon Softball Unveils 2015 Schedule
10/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
2015 Schedule | Printable 2015 Schedule 
CHICAGO - After concluding its fall season, the DePaul softball team have announced its schedule for the 2015 season. Head coach Eugene Lenti, beginning his 34th campaign with the program, has formed another tough slate following a 44-win season including a BIG EAST Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Lexington Regional Final.
The Blue Demons will face 20 teams that marked winning records in 2014, as well as nine NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago. Charleston Southern, Houston, Louisville, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Wisconsin all are on the 2015 schedule who made the postseason tournament last season. The 55-game slate features 27 tournament games, 21 BIG EAST matchups (three games against all seven members) and 15 home dates at Cacciatore Stadium.
For DePaul, the campaign to repeat as conference champions and return to the NCAA tournament for the 19th time in the last 21 years begins at the Hawaii Paradise Classic, Feb. 5-7, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Blue Demons begin the tournament versus Oklahoma, who made it to the Women's College World Series last year, ended the season with a 51-13 record. DePaul also gets games against host Hawaii and St. Mary's.
Following the classic in Hawaii, the Blue Demons travel to Houston, Texas, Feb. 13-15, for the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational. DePaul is slated for games against Houston, Massachusetts, McNeese State, Northern Iowa and Stephen F. Austin. The Cougars were 33-23 last season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Demons will stay in Texas for the Arlington Invitational the next weekend. Over three days, DePaul will face the likes of Missouri-Kansas City, Prairie View A&M, Texas-Arlington and Texas Tech (twice). The Red Raiders got the better of the Blue Demons last season at the UNLV Classic in a 6-5 contest.
After concluding back-to-back weekends in Texas, DePaul will fly out to Las Vegas, Nev. for the UNLV Eller Media Stadium Classic, Feb. 27-March 1. The Blue Demons will face stiff competition in Idaho State, New Mexico State, UNLV and Wisconsin. The Bengals, Aggies and Badgers all had winning records last season and Wisconsin made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Demons fared well in this tournament last season, going 3-0 over the weekend.
DePaul will then remain in the Land of Lincoln for the Coach B Classic (March 7-8) located in Carbondale, Ill. The Blue Demons are scheduled to battle in-state foes Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois before taking on Murray State twice. The Blue Demons have fared well against the two other residents of Illinois, combining for a 40-14 record in program history.
Following an in-state tournament, DePaul heads wraps up tournament play with the Easton Tournament in Fullerton, Calif., March 13-14. The Blue Demons will face Boise State, Cal State Fullerton, Charleston Southern and Nebraska over the two-day span. Both Charleston Southern and Nebraska made the NCAA Tournament last season and the Huskers extended their run, advancing to the Super Regionals.
The Blue Demons entertain a mid-week matchup with 2014 NCAA Tournament participant North Dakota State on March 18th before opening up BIG EAST play.
DePaul begins the conference slate with road trips to St. John's (March 21-22) and Seton Hall (March 24-25).
After the east coast swing, the Blue Demons return home for a six-game home stand with DePaul opening against BIG EAST foe Providence, March 28-29. The Blue Demons begin April by hosting two non-conference teams in Illinois State (April 7) and a double-header with Louisville (April 8). The Cardinals took both games last year in Kentucky.
DePaul returns to the road to take on Georgetown (April 11-12) before hosting a pair of non-BIG EAST contests versus Illinois (April 15) and Loyola (April 16).
A home series with Creighton (April 18-19) ends the month's home matchups and puts the Blue Demons back on the road. DePaul will travel to Notre Dame on April 21 to begin the road trip. The Blue Demons took last year's game against the Irish 4-2 highlighted by a pinch-hit two-run blast from Hannah Penna.
DePaul concludes April with trips to Villanova (April 25-26) and Northwestern (April 29). The Blue Demons went 4-0 against both opponents last season.
Butler flies into Chicago for a series with DePaul, May 2-3, to end the regular season for both squads.
The postseason will once again return to Chicagoland in 2015, as the BIG EAST Conference Championship will be hosted in Rosemont, Ill., May 8-9. The top four teams from league play will qualify and compete in a single-elimination tournament for the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
