Colorado State University Athletics
Rams Build Ambitious Early Season Schedule
1/27/2021 1:00:00 PM | Softball
Fisher’s team to play 11 games against six Power 5 programs.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The idea of building a schedule was daunting at first, with restrictions based on the pandemic changing regular. The final result for Colorado State softball coach Jen Fisher was a front-loaded schedule which will pit them against a host of Power 5 teams heading into the Mountain West portion of the 2021 season.
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The Rams will play 11 games against five Power 5 opponents in the first month, including a trio of games against Oregon State, two each against Alabama, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. They open the season against the Crimson Tide on Feb. 12 as play begins at the University of Texas Tournament, where Fisher's team will also face the Longhorns.
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"The reason we have such a tough schedule is because of the circumstances," Fisher said. "I think everybody was just scrambling for games. A big tournament was canceled, so then everybody started scrambling. We picked up the Texas A&M Tournament, which led us to the Arizona Tournament."
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On ensuing weekends, Colorado State – which was 11-12 when the 2019-20 season was halted by the pandemic – will head to the Texas A&M Tournament, followed by a trip the Arizona Tournament. The Rams begin the month of March by co-hosting a tournament with Northern Colorado, then face the Bears twice the following weekend before opening the conference season at home with Utah State.
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The Rams will face the other eight conference teams, playing three-game sets with each. Colorado State's other home dates are with Fresno State (April 10-11), UNLV (April 24-25) and San Diego State (May 8-9). Saturday's will feature double headers; Sunday's are one game.
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Fisher likes the schedule, referring back to the 2018-19 conference championship run, which also featured a host of tough early contests. The Rams went 39-12 that season, 18-6 to win the Mountain West and earned a trip to the NCAA Regionals.
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"In 2019, we played some really tough competition going into that conference season, and I think we were really well prepared," she said. "I think our team has just really stayed in close contact with each other. They've been working out really hard, and they had a long break from fall break until Jan. 13. But they stayed in communication with each other, and I think what's happening right now is their sport is something which is really their only social opportunity, and they're loving being around each other."
The Rams return a trio of All-Mountain West performers from the 2020 campaign – Ashley Michelena, Corina Gamboa and Jessica Jarecki. In addition, Tara Shadowen is back after an All-Conference run in 2019.
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The Rams will play 11 games against five Power 5 opponents in the first month, including a trio of games against Oregon State, two each against Alabama, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. They open the season against the Crimson Tide on Feb. 12 as play begins at the University of Texas Tournament, where Fisher's team will also face the Longhorns.
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"The reason we have such a tough schedule is because of the circumstances," Fisher said. "I think everybody was just scrambling for games. A big tournament was canceled, so then everybody started scrambling. We picked up the Texas A&M Tournament, which led us to the Arizona Tournament."
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On ensuing weekends, Colorado State – which was 11-12 when the 2019-20 season was halted by the pandemic – will head to the Texas A&M Tournament, followed by a trip the Arizona Tournament. The Rams begin the month of March by co-hosting a tournament with Northern Colorado, then face the Bears twice the following weekend before opening the conference season at home with Utah State.
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The Rams will face the other eight conference teams, playing three-game sets with each. Colorado State's other home dates are with Fresno State (April 10-11), UNLV (April 24-25) and San Diego State (May 8-9). Saturday's will feature double headers; Sunday's are one game.
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Fisher likes the schedule, referring back to the 2018-19 conference championship run, which also featured a host of tough early contests. The Rams went 39-12 that season, 18-6 to win the Mountain West and earned a trip to the NCAA Regionals.
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"In 2019, we played some really tough competition going into that conference season, and I think we were really well prepared," she said. "I think our team has just really stayed in close contact with each other. They've been working out really hard, and they had a long break from fall break until Jan. 13. But they stayed in communication with each other, and I think what's happening right now is their sport is something which is really their only social opportunity, and they're loving being around each other."
The Rams return a trio of All-Mountain West performers from the 2020 campaign – Ashley Michelena, Corina Gamboa and Jessica Jarecki. In addition, Tara Shadowen is back after an All-Conference run in 2019.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballTuesday, June 16
Sunday, April 21
Sunday, April 07
Saturday, March 26