Feb. 4, 2014
Links: 2014 Schedule | Sportco Kick Off Classic Tournament Page | UNLVTickets.com Softball Page
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball program was picked to finish seventh overall in the 2014 Mountain West Softball Preseason Poll by the Conference's nine head coaches. The Rebels collected 27 points in the poll that was topped by back-to-back league champion San Diego State and its haul of seven first-place votes and a total of 63 points. Second place went to Fresno State, who had 56 points and two first-place selections.
Four squads were separated by six points with Boise State taking third with 42 points. Colorado State and San Jose State tied for fourth with 38, while sixth went to Nevada, Reno with 36. New Mexico (13) and Utah State (11) were predicted to round out the poll in eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Scarlet & Gray open the 2014 campaign this weekend, Feb. 7-9, in its own Sportco Kick Off Classic. The three-day tournament will feature two preseason Top 25 teams (#3/5 Washington and #18/16 Baylor) and a third (Arkansas) that is receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball. UNLV and San Diego round out the quintet of teams playing five games apiece - 15 total - at Eller Media Stadium, which is located at the corner of Swenson and Harmon on the west side of campus.
Besides Washington and Baylor, UNLV will play three others that are ranked in both Top 25 polls: #8/8 Oregon, #10/10 Texas and #16/13 UCLA. Teams sitting outside the Top 25, but receiving votes in both polls are Arizona, Arkansas and Oregon State. Long Beach State is listed in that category in the USA Today/NFCA poll, but is absent from the ESPN.com/USA Softball version.
The Rebel roster returns 12 letterwinners from 2013's edition that won 21 games - three of which were against Top 25 opposition - and finished sixth in the conference standings. Eight of the dozen letterwinners were primary starters for Lisa Dodd, who returns for her second season at the helm of the program. More impressively, all four players - Stefany Valentino, Amanda Oliveto, Tayler Van Acker and Emily Haslinger - that earned All-MW Team recognition a year ago are back in action. Valentino also took home NFCA All-West Region Team honors.
UNLV will play host to two other tournaments throughout the season with the Easton Desert Classic slated for Feb. 13-16 and the Eller Media Stadium Classic to follow two weeks later on Feb. 28 through March 2. The Easton will feature 18 teams and a total of 45 games split between UNLV's stadium and Stephanie Lynn Craig Park - a three-field complex in nearby Henderson. The EMS Classic will follow the same format as the Sportco in regards to teams and number of games.
Fans can purchase tournament passes through UNLVTickets.com or at the stadium on game day. Passes range from $25 for adults and $20 for seniors, faculty and staff. Tickets for individual days are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors, faculty and staff. As always, children 12 and under as well as UNLV students are free!
For opening day, UNLVTickets.com is running a half-priced ticket promotion online for fans. All that is required to receive the discounted ticket is to type "social" into the promo code upon checkout.
