FORT MYERS, Fla. – Posting a 23-18 record at home last season the FGCU softball team opens its 2017 campaign at The Nest, hosting the FGCU Kickoff Classic Sponsored by Four Points by Sheraton. The Eagles welcome LIU-Brooklyn and Connecticut for the three-day tournament, beginning Friday. FGCU's first contest of its title-defending season is slated for 4:30 p.m. Friday against LIU-Brooklyn.

The full tournament schedule can be found by visiting the Tournament Central page.

TICKET INFORMATION
Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $5 for youth. Season tickets meanwhile are $39 for adults and $29 for youth. For those interested in purchasing single-game or season tickets, contact the FGCU ticket office at 239-590-7145 or visit FGCUTickets.com.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
After beginning the 2016 season 1-5, a 10-game winning streak gave the Green and Blue a needed confidence boost that resulted in FGCU taking two-of-three on the road against preseason favorites USC Upstate to open ASUN play. The Eagles hit their stride during conference play last season, compiling a 13-5 record en route to their third regular season title and the No. 1 overall seed in the ASUN Tournament. While the Eagles run to an NCAA Tournament berth ended in the title game, FGCU returns 60% of its offense and 77% of its pitching from the 2016, title-winning season.

Led by Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) and Preseason Pitcher of the Year Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS), FGCU returns five starters and three pitchers from last year. In addition to the aforementioned Fournet and Randolph, the Eagles also welcome back 2016 Second Team All-ASUN honoree and Preseason All-Conference selection Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS).

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Along with the five returning starters and three starting pitchers, FGCU brings back 16 players. Among those, 11 appeared in 30 or more games and three more made at least 25 appearances in the circle.

The returners not only bring back experience, but plenty of success on the field. In the circle, FGCU returns 28 of its 32 wins (87.5%) and 193 of its 251 strikeouts (76.8%) over 311.2 of the 393.1 innings pitched (79.2%). Randolph headlines the staff after a 16-5 freshman season with an ASUN-best 1.39 ERA and team-leading 123 strikeouts.

Offensively, FGCU scored 443 runs last season, and 290 (65.4%) of those runs come back in 2017. Of the Green and Blue's 20 home runs, 13 remain in the lineup including Fournet's team-leading seven.

ASUN PROJECTIONS
The defending regular season champions were selected second in the annual preseason poll. The Eagles earned one first place vote, while USC Upstate earned six to earn the top spot in the preseason poll. Kennesaw State (27 points), Lipscomb (26) and Stetson (25) rounded out the top five. Jacksonville (16) and UNF (11) completed the poll.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
UConn finished seventh in the American Athletic Conference in 2016 following a 4-12 conference season and a 19-33 record overall. With the addition of eight freshman, the Huskies bring a young team into 2017. Ally Hernandez poses the biggest threat at the plate. The sophomore hit .333 last season, with a double and a home run.

The Huskies return all three pitchers from last season, including Jill Stockley who led the team with a 2.75 ERA and nine wins.

The Eagles are 3-0 all-time against the Huskies. FGCU defeated UConn 5-3 in the first meeting in 2010, and followed with a pair of wins in 2014 (3-1, 7-0).

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
A 30-win team and an NCAA Tournament team from last season, LIU-Brooklyn brings an experienced team to Fort Myers to open the 2017 season. Victoria Zamora leads the Blackbirds offensively with a .342 last season with five home runs and 27 RBIs.

Erin Sobieski returns after leading the team with 19 wins and a 3.14 ERA. Sobieski tallied 150 of the teams 213 strikeouts in 2016.

FGCU is 6-2 all-time against LIU-Brooklyn including wins in each of the previous four meetings. The two teams were supposed to meet last season but the game was cancelled due to late schedule changes.

NEXT UP
FGCU heads south of the border for the Triple Crown Sports Puerto Vallarta Challenge. While in Mexico, the Eagles will be tested by Fresno State, Texas Tech, Cal State Fullerton, and Mississippi State.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.
 
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros recently enters his 15th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to 11 seasons with a winning record, eight campaigns with 35 wins and a win percentage of .669 (544-268-3). Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.