SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State softball team opens the 2020 season at the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Division I Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. On Friday, Feb. 7. The Bobcats will play four NCAA games and an exhibition game against the USA National Team during the three-day tournament. All five of TXST's games in the Lead-Off Classic will be live-streamed through the NFCA's website,
 
The tournament begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, with the Bobcats meeting fellow Sun Belt Conference member, South Alabama. Texas State faces No.15-ranked Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. (Central) on Friday.
 
The Bobcats play two more games on Saturday, Feb. 8. They begin the day facing Louisville at 9 a.m. (Central) and No. 23-ranked Auburn at 11:30 a.m. (Central). Texas State concludes the tournament against the USA National Team at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
 
"This is an incredible opportunity for our team," head coach Ricci Woodard said. "When we face the level of competition that we will see to open the season, it can only make you a better team. The fact that we also get the privilege of playing against our own USA Olympic team will be an unforgettable experience for our program.  Our very own Cat Osterman is going to be in the other dugout, preparing for her opportunity to win a 2020 Gold Medal. I cannot think of a better way to kick off the 2020 season."
 
GAMES 1-5 | NFCA LEADOFF CLASSIC
Feb. 7-9, 2020 | Clearwater, Fla. | Eddie C. Moore Complex
Game 1 – Friday – vs. South Alabama (Field 1) – 11 a.m. (CT) | Livestream
Game 2 – Friday – vs. Kentucky (Field 3) – 1:30 p.m. (CT) | Livestream
Game 3 – Saturday – vs. Louisville (Field 2) – 9 a.m. (CT) | Livestream
Game 4 – Saturday – vs. Auburn (Field 4) – 11:30 a.m. (CT) | Livestream
Game 5 – Sunday – vs. USA National Team (Field 8) – 11 a.m. (CT) | Livestream
 
BOBCAT SCRATCHES

• Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard begins her 20th season at Texas State with a career record of 670-420-1. She has led the Bobcats to 12 conference championships and eight NCAA Regional appearances. Woodard has developed 82 All-Conference selections, 26 All-Region players, five NFCA All-Americans, and three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

 

• Texas State was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches' poll after posting a 28-23 overall record and a 16-10 mark against Sun Belt teams in 2019.

 

• Tara Oltmann was selected to the 2019 Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference squad and ranked fourth in the league in RBIs (41) and seventh in doubles (11). During conference-only games, she was fourth in RBIs (22) and sixth in doubles (7) and was the ninth toughest to strikeout in the league (16.8 K avg.). Oltmann stole 16 bases, which ranked eighth in the conference.

 

• Hailey MacKay earned a preseason all-conference nod for the second year in a row. In 2018 she was named Third Team All-NFCA Central Region and First Team All-Sun Belt Conference. Last year MacKay started all 54 games at third base and was second on the team in batting average (.288) and ranked 13th in the Sun Belt with 26 walks.

 

• Senior outfielder Christiana McDowell was named to the 2019 All-Central Region team and Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference in 2019 after finishing the season second in the Sun Belt with 25 stolen bases, eighth among qualified hitters in batting average (.361) and walks drawn (28), and ninth in on-base percentage (.457) and hits (60). 

 

• Texas State had 10 players named 2019 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes in 2019. They were ArieAnn Bell, Kaylee Lind, Hailey MacKay, Molly Damiani, Meagan King, Kylie Matula, Christiana McDowell, Tara Oltmann, Natalia Reeves and Caitlyn Rogers. The softball team had a 3.3 GPA during 2018-19.