2013 ART U Softball Schedule
San Francisco, CA -- As Academy of Art University Athletics approaches its first spring season as full NCAA Division II members, the Urban Knights are itching to return to competitive action on the softball field. Co-head coaches Sami Strinz and Randy Ward have now officially released the team's 2013 schedule which features a total of 48 games throughout the months of February, March, April, and potentially into the post-season in May.
Mixing it up with opponents not only from the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and its own Pacific West Conference, ART U also partakes in two major tournaments with a variety of West Region opponents.
“We are really looking forward to the opportunities that we have to compete against our regional opponents in non-conference games this season,” Coach Strinz said. “We are probably a little more excited for our conference series because we want to be the team on top of the standings once the season concludes. Our toughest competition has always been and will always be ourselves. If we can trust ourselves, team and ability, and play to our potential, then the wins will take care of themselves.”
Taking the field on Feb. 2 for a doubleheader at Humboldt State, Academy of Art plays the first of two CCAA foes to start the season. The Knights swept the Jacks in a pair at home last season. ART U remains on the road for its double-dip against Sonoma State (Feb. 6), who started last year 7-0, finished fifth in the CCAA standings, and then fell to Cal State Dominguez Hills and Grand Canyon in West 1 Regionals.
As they have for the last three consecutive years, the Urban Knights then head to Las Vegas, NV for the 2013 Montana State University-Billings Desert Stinger Tournament. This year, Academy of Art faces University of Mary (an upper-echelon Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference member) and Central Washington (one win shy of 20 in 2012) on Day One (Feb. 8). After matching up with Black Hills State (S.D.) and Western New Mexico on Feb. 9, ART U concludes its participation with New Mexico Highlands (winners of 26 games last season) on Feb. 10.
From there, the Knights get their first taste of PacWest Conference play with a four-game series against UH Hilo (Feb. 15-16) which serve as their first contests at home at Mission Blue Field in 2013. Then it is a Southern California roadtrip next where ART U meets new conference addition Azusa Pacific for the first time (Feb. 22) and 2012 PacWest Champion California Baptist (Feb. 23).
Academy of Art briefly returns home to face Dominican at the start of March (Mar. 3) then resumes road action with a stop for two at Holy Names (Mar. 9), four at NCAA West Regional qualifier Dixie State (Mar. 18-19), then back in California for two at Notre Dame de Namur (Mar. 23) and another pair at Cal State East Bay (Mar. 27).
Another quick one-day homestand has Chaminade in the Bay Area for two at Mission Blue (Apr. 1) to open up the new month before the Urban Knights head to Turlock, CA for Cal State Stanislaus' Tournament of Champions (Apr. 5-6). This extensive tournament (83 games over two and a half days) will feature the rare triple-header for ART U on Apr. 5. Beginning with Western Washington at 2:15 PM, Academy of Art then takes on Azusa Pacific in a non-conference pairing at 4:15 PM, and finishes up with an 8:15 PM nightcap versus 2012 West Regional qualifier Montana State-Billings (32-18 overall). The following afternoon, ART U meets Saint Martin's, who went 4-1 in the tourney a year ago, and Central Washington for a rematch.
“Playing in the Desert Stinger and the Tournament of Champions create great chances for us to see the competition outside of our conference,” Coach Strinz said. “It's important to see where we stack up against other conferences and hopefully we put ourselves in a position to be one of the top teams in the region.”
Off for four days following the tournament, Academy of Art picks up where it left off in PacWest play with a doubleheader at Dominican on Apr. 11 then makes the out-of-state roadtrip to Phoenix, AZ for two at Grand Canyon (Apr. 13).
“The PacWest has a good reputation,” Coach Strinz said. “Obviously, our goal this year is to win our conference, and we have to take care of business with all of our conference opponents to be there. The beauty of this game is winners are never predetermined, so every single time we set foot on the dirt, we have an opportunity to be victorious.”
The remainder of the regular season will offer an eight-game homestand with Hawaii Pacific at the start on Apr. 18. Holy Names plays its second doubleheader against ART U at Mission Blue Field (Apr. 20) and the Knights then get their first look of the season at BYU-Hawaii on Apr. 22. Finally, Notre Dame de Namur (Apr. 27) comes to town for what will be “Senior Day” and the conclusion of the 2013 regular season.
Should they qualify, the Urban Knights will have various stages of NCAA Regionals and the National Championship Tournament awaiting them in May.
“We have a driven, passionate and hard-working team,” Coach Strinz said. “If we focus on the things that we have control over, and let go of the rest, we give ourselves the best chance for success.”
