DePaul University
Valparaiso
DePaul Softball Opens 2022 Season on Thursday
2/9/2022 5:37:00 PM | SOFTBALL
DePaul to face Valparaiso, Western Michigan, St. Thomas and Murray State on opening weekend
CHICAGO – DePaul softball is set to open its 2022 campaign Feb. 10-12 in nearby Rosemont, Ill. at the The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex. The Blue Demons will compete in four games over the three-day stretch.
DePaul will open with Valparaiso on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. before facing Western Michigan Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Demons will close out opening weekend on Saturday with St. Thomas at 2:30 p.m. followed by Murray State at 7:30 p.m.
Fans can follow the action via live stats here. No live streaming is available. For more information on admission, mask policy and tournament schedule visit the 2022 Dome Tournament Central page here.
Blue Demon Notables
The Blue Demons return 15 winners from last season's BIG EAST regular season title team. Five newcomers landed in Lincoln Park last fall including Iowa grad transfer pitcher Sarah Lehman. DePaul will rely on the veteran leadership of four fifth-year seniors in Maranda Gutierrez, Natalie Halvorson, Skylor Hilger, and Kate Polucha.
Juniors Grace Frazier, Brooke Johnson and Tori Meyer proved to be pivotal pieces to DePaul's success in 2021 and will look to provide a spark for the Blue Demons in 2022. All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree Nicole Sullivan leads the way for a group of six sophomores looking to make a larger impact on the field this season.
DePaul was selected to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Blue Demons received three first-place votes while 2021 tournament champion Villanova was selected to finish first. The Blue Demons and Wildcats will square off April 1-3 at Cacciatore Stadium.
Former DePaul standout Tracie Adix-Zins enters her fourth season at the helm in Chicago. Adix-Zins has amassed a 69-38 record, won a BIG EAST Tournament title, regular season title and appeared in the 2019 NCAA Tournament while navigating a pair of COVID-19 laden seasons.
Adix-Zins and Co. will meet some of the nation's best in 2022 with a spring slate featuring contests with 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago and 10 matchups with opponents from the power five conferences.
Scouting Valparaiso
DePaul will meet Valpo for the 47th time on Thursday and hold a 44-1-1 advantage in the all-time series including an 8-0 victory in the 2021 season opener in Rosemont. Valpo welcomed head coach Amanda Eberhart to the program in July of 2021. Valpo returns nearly 90% of its innings pitched from a season ago and welcomes back 14 letterwinners. Valpo finished 2021 with a 5-35 record.
Scouting Western Michigan
The Blue Demons will meet the Broncos on opening weekend for the second-consecutive season. Western Michigan took down DePaul 9-3 on February 12 last season, using a six-run fifth inning to come away with the win. WMU finished the season 15-37 and 11-27 in the MAC a season ago. Senior infielder Jordyn Swinehart leads the way for the Broncos after landing on Second Team All-MAC in 2021. DePaul holds the all-time series edge 7-3. Kathy Leitke enters her 22nd season in Kalamazoo and 31st overall as a head coach in 2022.Â
Scouting St. Thomas
The Tommies are entering their inaugural season in Division I in 2022. St. Thomas is set to compete in the Summit League and have been selected to finish eighth in the conference. Jennifer Bagley Trotter enters her first season at the helm of the program. Brooke Ellestad and Sarah Hudson were tabbed to the Summit League Preseason Players to Watch. Saturday marks the first meeting between the two programs.
Scouting Murray State
Murray State returns two-thirds of its starting lineup from a season ago which saw the Racers post a 22-29 overall mark and finish sixth in the Ohio Valley. The Racers were selected to finish third in the 2022 OVC preseason coaches' poll while Sierra Gilmore was named a player to watch. Saturday will mark the first time the two programs have met. Murray State is coached by 2007 DePaul alumna Kara Amundson. Amundson was DePaul's catcher for two trips to the WCWS in 2005 and 2007 alongside Adix-Zins.
Up Next: The Blue Demons will travel west for the second weekend of the season for the San Diego Classic Feb. 18-19 hosted by the University of San Diego. DePaul is set to square off against Iowa, San Diego, Oregon State and South Dakota State.
Follow the Blue Demons all season long on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. DePaul fans can access recaps, stats and more at depaulbluedemons.com.
