AMES, Iowa – The Cyclone softball team announced its 2013 spring schedule on Monday. The 56-game slate includes five 2012 College World Series teams, 14 of last year's NCAA tournament participants and eight teams Iowa State has never faced.
Iowa State will begin the year hosting the Cyclone Invitational, Feb. 8-10 at the Bergstrom Football Complex. Teams from North Dakota, South Dakota State, IUPFW and Indiana State will be in Ames for the three-day tournament.
After hosting the opening weekend, the Cyclones will take to the road for tournaments at Texas-San Antonio and UNC to close out the first month of the season. In Chapel Hill, N.C., the Cyclones will see their first NCAA tournament teams from a year ago in host UNC and Iona, both first-time foes of Iowa State.
In March, trips to Alabama, Fresno State, South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Florida Atlantic have the Cyclones traveling across time zones to face four of their five World Series opponents in reigning champion Alabama (twice), California, Oregon and South Florida. Also up during the 15-game stretch are tournament participants Oregon State, San Diego State, Florida Gulf Coast and Valparaiso, who defeated Iowa State twice last season.
After a game at Drake on March 26, the Cyclones open the Big 12 schedule at Baylor, March 29-30.
A trip to Northern Iowa on April 3 finishes the long road stretch for the Cyclones, who play their first regular season game at the new Cyclones Sports Complex against Oklahoma State, April 5-7, before an April 9 meeting with Drake.
After a trip to Texas, April 12-14, Texas Tech visits Ames April 19-21. The month ends on the road with a doubleheader at Minnesota on April 24 before the squad heads to Oklahoma, the final 2011 World Series team on the slate, April 26-28.
May begins with a trip to Iowa for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series on the first day of the month and the regular season closes at home against Kansas, May 10-12.
NCAA Regionals are on tap for May 17-29, followed by Super Regionals, May 24-26. The Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. kicks off May 30 and runs through June 5.