Iowa State Set For UCF's Knights Classic

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State softball team is bound for Orlando, Fla. to compete in the Knights Classic, hosted by UCF. The Cyclones open the weekend on Friday at 1 p.m. CT vs. Villanova, followed by a 6 p.m. battle vs. UCF. On Saturday, Iowa State takes on Penn State (12:30 p.m.) and UCF (5 p.m.). ISU wraps up the tournament on Sunday vs. FAU at 10:30 a.m.

2020 Knights Classic
Where: Orlando, Fla. – UCF Softball Complex
When: Feb. 14-16
Live Stats: Available here.
Live Stream: Only available for games involving UCF - LINK

CYCLONE NOTEBOOK
1. The Cyclones are looking to build on a 4-1 start to the season that culminated in a Paradise Classic title in Honolulu, Hawaii. Iowa State defeated Northern Colorado and Hawaii (twice) before avenging a season-opening loss to Memphis in the tournament's championship game.

2. Sami Williams was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after an outstanding weekend at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Williams went 6-of-18 at the plate with four home runs, two doubles, six runs scored and 13 RBI. Williams is one of just seven players nationally to have hit four home runs so far this season.

3. Williams is on the verge of making more Cyclone history. The native of Laguna Niguel, Calif. is just two home runs shy of breaking Iowa State's all-time career mark of 42, currently held by Cyclone great Tori Torrescano (2010-13).

4. After one week of action, Williams ranks among the nation's leaders in RBIs (No. 2 - 13) and home runs (T-No. 1 - 4). Her slugging percentage (1.111) also comes in at No. 35 nationally. Williams is the NCAA's active leader in career doubles, and is already the Big 12's all-time doubles leader with 61.

5. The Cyclone pitching staff was one of the highlights of the season-opening Paradise Classic for Iowa State. The trio of Karlie Charles, Janessa Jasso and Ellie Spelhaug - all freshmen - tallied a cumulative 2.00 ERA and .192 opponent batting average.

6. Spelhaug was spectacular throughout the tournament. The native of Bettendorf, Iowa was dominant in a complete game, one-hit shutout in her first career start vs. Northern Colorado. The Cyclone newcomer also made two appearances in relief, logging a 0.55 ERA and .093 opponent batting avg. in 12.2 innings of work on the weekend.

7. Ellie Spelhaug's outing vs. Northern Colorado was the first one-hitter by a Cyclone pitcher since Feb. 24, 2019 (Tatum Ksiazek vs. Dartmouth).

8. Senior Hannah Carter had one of her best weekends as a Cyclone in Honolulu, collecting a team-leading .555 batting average on the weekend with four runs, a double and two RBI. Carter posted an outstanding .647 on-base percentage.

9. Iowa State concluded its 2019 campaign with a record of 37-25 overall (7-11 Big 12) and as runners-up in the National Invitational Softball Championship, falling 4-3 to Loyola Marymount in the tournament finals. It was program's winningest season since 1982, and tied for the second-winningest season of all-time.

10. The Cyclones' NISC bid marked the program's first time in a national postseason tournament since 1988, when Iowa State advanced to NCAA Regionals in Lincoln, Neb.

11. Head coach Jamie Pinkerton has already piled up 64 wins at Iowa State. Pinkerton's 60 wins were the most ever by a Cyclone head coach in their first two seasons at the program's helm.

12. Williams was named a Softball America Preseason All-American, and was also ranked the No. 34 player in the country by the outlet. Williams was named an Honorable Mention All-American by Softball America following an oustanding junior campaign, becoming the first Cyclone softball player since Jenny Condon in 1989 to earn All-America honors.

13. Williams finished the 2019 campaign as the NCAA DI doubles leader with 25 on the season. She set Iowa State single-season records for hits (82), doubles (25), home runs (17) and runs scored (59) during her historic 2019 campaign.

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Players Mentioned

Hannah Carter

Karlie Charles

Janessa Jasso

Tatum Ksiazek

Ellie Spelhaug

Sami Williams

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Iowa State University Athletics