Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, February 10
San Diego, CA
5:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Stanford
Blue Raiders set to open season at SDSU Season Kickoff
2/9/2022 7:54:00 PM | Softball
SAN DIEGO – The Middle Tennessee Softball Team officially kicks off the program's 30th season on Thursday, as the Blue Raiders compete in the SDSU Season Kickoff on February 10-13 in San Diego, California. The Blue Raiders open their 10th season under the helm of head coach Jeff Breeden.
The Blue Raiders open the season with a matchup on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT against the Stanford Cardinal, who begin their 2022 campaign receiving votes in the USA Softball/ESPN and NFCA/USA Today top-25 preseason polls. Middle Tennessee continues play on Thursday taking on host San Diego State (SDSU) in a night cap at 8 p.m. CT. The Blue Raiders will face the Boise State Broncos in a 4 p.m. CT matchup on Friday, their sole contest of the day. Middle Tennessee Softball will resume play on Saturday, taking on Boise State in a repeat matchup at 11 a.m. CT, before playing Cal Poly at 4 p.m. CT. The Blue Raiders close out their opening weekend of play on Sunday against University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC) at 11 a.m. CT.
The Blue Raiders contest against SDSU on Thursday evening will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network. Live stats will be available for all six games on the weekend.
Quick Hits
Series History
Thursday's contests mark the second ever meeting between Middle Tennessee and Stanford Cardinal and the SDSU Aztecs. The Blue Raiders first ever matchup against Stanford was on March 11, 2006, in which the Cardinal took a 13-1 five inning run-rule. Middle Tennessee's last meeting with the Aztecs was on February 15, 2019, when SDSU took a competitive 2-1 win over the Blue Raiders. Friday's matchup marks the first ever meeting between the Blue Raiders and the Broncos of Boise State. Middle Tennessee trails the Cal Poly Mustangs 0-3 in the all-time series between the two programs. The last time the Blue Raiders took the field against the Mustangs was on February 9, 2018 in which Cal Poly captured a season-opening 6-1 victory. Sunday's weekend closer will be the seventh all-time meeting between Middle Tennessee and UIC. The Flames hold a 5-1 advantage over the Blue Raiders, with their last meeting coming February 14, 2016 in which UIC took a 5-1 victory.
Scouting the Competition
The Stanford Cardinal are in their fifth year under head coach Jessica Allister. The Cardinal finished their 2021 campaign 33-22 and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament competing in the Fayetteville Regional. Stanford is receiving votes in both the USA Softball/ESPN poll and the NFCA/USA Today poll.
Stanford returns All-Pac-12 players Taylor Gindlesperger, Alana Vawter, and Emily Young from last season. Vawter enters the 2022 season on the USA Softball Player of the Year watch list after earning All-Pac-12 First Team honors a year ago, marking the first Cardinal to earn first team plaudits since 2015. Gindlesperger tied the school record for triples with eight during the 2021 season.
San Diego State is in its inaugural season under head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz. The Aztecs are fresh off a 2021 campaign in which the Aztecs finished fourth in the Mountain West with a 28-16 overall record, earning the team's ninth best record in program history and their best winning percentage (.636) since the 2015 season. Entering the 2022 season, SDSU was selected in a tie to win the Mountain West alongside UNLV with 57 points.
Boise State enters its first season under head coach Justin Shults, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon and helped lead the Ducks to a regional championship appearance during the 2021 season.
The Broncos are coming off a 2021 campaign in which saw the team finish sixth in the Mountain West with a 20-25 record and a 11-13 mark in conference play. Boise State returns Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year in Bella Rocco.
Cal Poly is in the programs 18th year under the tutelage of head coach Jenny Condon. The Mustangs enter the 2022 season after a 2021 campaign that saw Cal Poly finish 13-33 overall and 7-17 in Big West play. The Mustangs were picked to finish sixth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll.
University of Illinois – Chicago, the 2021 Horizon League Champion, is in its sixth year under head coach Lynn Curylo. The Flames are coming off a 2021 campaign in which the Flames finished 29-23 overall and 23-11 in Horizon League play, as well as capturing the 2021 Horizon League Tournament Championship as well as earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament Columbia Regional.
Up Next
Middle Tennessee will continue non-conference play on February 18-20 as the Blue Raiders travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to compete in the Easton Bama Bash. The Blue Raiders will take on Alabama, Virginia Tech and Evansville.
The Blue Raiders open the season with a matchup on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT against the Stanford Cardinal, who begin their 2022 campaign receiving votes in the USA Softball/ESPN and NFCA/USA Today top-25 preseason polls. Middle Tennessee continues play on Thursday taking on host San Diego State (SDSU) in a night cap at 8 p.m. CT. The Blue Raiders will face the Boise State Broncos in a 4 p.m. CT matchup on Friday, their sole contest of the day. Middle Tennessee Softball will resume play on Saturday, taking on Boise State in a repeat matchup at 11 a.m. CT, before playing Cal Poly at 4 p.m. CT. The Blue Raiders close out their opening weekend of play on Sunday against University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC) at 11 a.m. CT.
The Blue Raiders contest against SDSU on Thursday evening will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network. Live stats will be available for all six games on the weekend.
Quick Hits
- The 2022 season marks the 30th season of Blue Raider Softball, as well as the 10th season for head coach Jeff Breeden.
- The Blue Raiders are 14-15 all-time in season openers.
- Entering the 2022 season, senior Lani Rodriguez carries a five-game hitting and on-base streak, while junior Kelci Hill holds a four-game hitting and on-base streak.
- The Blue Raiders were selected sixth in the C-USA preseason coaches' poll, behind Charlotte, North Texas, WKU, UAB, and Marshall, which placed first through fifth, respectively.
- The Blue Raiders return 13 starters, while adding seven impressive freshmen to pad the Blue Raiders 2022 lineup.
- Despite losing seven starters, the Blue Raiders add plenty of talent, from a solid seven-player freshman class, to build a solid lineup for the 2022 season.
Series History
Thursday's contests mark the second ever meeting between Middle Tennessee and Stanford Cardinal and the SDSU Aztecs. The Blue Raiders first ever matchup against Stanford was on March 11, 2006, in which the Cardinal took a 13-1 five inning run-rule. Middle Tennessee's last meeting with the Aztecs was on February 15, 2019, when SDSU took a competitive 2-1 win over the Blue Raiders. Friday's matchup marks the first ever meeting between the Blue Raiders and the Broncos of Boise State. Middle Tennessee trails the Cal Poly Mustangs 0-3 in the all-time series between the two programs. The last time the Blue Raiders took the field against the Mustangs was on February 9, 2018 in which Cal Poly captured a season-opening 6-1 victory. Sunday's weekend closer will be the seventh all-time meeting between Middle Tennessee and UIC. The Flames hold a 5-1 advantage over the Blue Raiders, with their last meeting coming February 14, 2016 in which UIC took a 5-1 victory.
Scouting the Competition
The Stanford Cardinal are in their fifth year under head coach Jessica Allister. The Cardinal finished their 2021 campaign 33-22 and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament competing in the Fayetteville Regional. Stanford is receiving votes in both the USA Softball/ESPN poll and the NFCA/USA Today poll.
Stanford returns All-Pac-12 players Taylor Gindlesperger, Alana Vawter, and Emily Young from last season. Vawter enters the 2022 season on the USA Softball Player of the Year watch list after earning All-Pac-12 First Team honors a year ago, marking the first Cardinal to earn first team plaudits since 2015. Gindlesperger tied the school record for triples with eight during the 2021 season.
San Diego State is in its inaugural season under head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz. The Aztecs are fresh off a 2021 campaign in which the Aztecs finished fourth in the Mountain West with a 28-16 overall record, earning the team's ninth best record in program history and their best winning percentage (.636) since the 2015 season. Entering the 2022 season, SDSU was selected in a tie to win the Mountain West alongside UNLV with 57 points.
Boise State enters its first season under head coach Justin Shults, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon and helped lead the Ducks to a regional championship appearance during the 2021 season.
The Broncos are coming off a 2021 campaign in which saw the team finish sixth in the Mountain West with a 20-25 record and a 11-13 mark in conference play. Boise State returns Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year in Bella Rocco.
Cal Poly is in the programs 18th year under the tutelage of head coach Jenny Condon. The Mustangs enter the 2022 season after a 2021 campaign that saw Cal Poly finish 13-33 overall and 7-17 in Big West play. The Mustangs were picked to finish sixth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll.
University of Illinois – Chicago, the 2021 Horizon League Champion, is in its sixth year under head coach Lynn Curylo. The Flames are coming off a 2021 campaign in which the Flames finished 29-23 overall and 23-11 in Horizon League play, as well as capturing the 2021 Horizon League Tournament Championship as well as earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament Columbia Regional.
Up Next
Middle Tennessee will continue non-conference play on February 18-20 as the Blue Raiders travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to compete in the Easton Bama Bash. The Blue Raiders will take on Alabama, Virginia Tech and Evansville.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
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