Cougars to Play Washington to Kickoff Fall Season

PROVO -- BYU softball head coach Gordon Eakin announced the Cougars' fall exhibition schedule on Monday, highlighted by a visit from the University of Washington to Gail Miller Field.

All games during the fall season are FREE admission.

Washington, ranked No. 1 throughout most of the regular season in 2010 and the 2009 National Champions, will come to Provo this Wednesday, Sept. 22. The Huskies finished last season with a 50-9 record (including a win over BYU) and advanced to the Women's College World Series.

BYU will also host Southern Idaho and Salt Lake Community College later that same weekend on Sept. 23 and Sept 24, respectively.

In October, the Cougars will face Utah Valley, Southern Nevada and Southern Utah in Provo before ending the fall season with a doubleheader at Dixie State on Oct. 23.

Fans are invited to come see the 2011 edition of BYU softball which is coming off its most successful season in school history. The Cougars went a school-best 46-13 on the year, advancing to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time and finishing No. 15 in the polls, the Cougars' highest ranking ever.

All-American catcher Jessica Fitu returns for BYU after gaining experience on the USA Futures Team during the summer. The Cougars also return three All-Mountain West Conference performers in seniors Kristin Delahoussaye and Paige Affleck along with sophomore JC Clayton.

Fans will also get to see eight new Cougars in uniform for the first time, including local products Tori Almond (Bingham HS), Carly Duckworth (Olympus HS), Stacie Graham (Viewmont HS), Bailie Hicken (Lone Peak HS) and Madison Robb (Uintah HS) in addition to Lacey Millett, an outfielder from Folsom, Calif., and Jenna Engel, an infielder from Littleton, Colo., and Katie Manuma, the Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year.