Softball releases 2022 schedule

Wichita+State+players+stand+during+the+national+anthem+prior+to+the+game+against+UCF+on+May+15%2C+2021.

Khánh Nguyễn/ The Sunflower

Wichita State players stand during the national anthem prior to the game against UCF on May 15, 2021.

The Wichita State softball team dropped their schedule on Tuesday morning for the 2022 season.

WSU’s  schedule looks a little different compared to last season’s schedule. Last year there were 22 home games but this season, only 11 games will be played at Wilkins Stadium. 

The Shockers will face several power five schools over the course of five tournaments at the beginning of the season. One of them being the University of Arkansas in the Razorback Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 19. The Shockers were supposed to play Arkansas prior to their conference tournament last season. However, the game was canceled. 

They will also play sunflower state rivals like the University of Kansas in the Jayhawk Invitational on Friday, March 11.  The Shockers will also face Oklahoma State University in the OSU Mizuno Classic starting on Friday, March 18 in their last early season tournament. 

The Shockers will begin conference play on Friday, April 1 against Tulsa University at home. Their last matchup against Tulsa was in the first game of the American Athletic Conference Tournament where they defeated them in the semifinals. 

Some more interesting matchups will be against Charlotte in the Niner Invitational on Friday, February 25. Charlotte will become a conference opponent for the Shockers here in the next few years. 

Right before the Shockers begin conference play, the Shockers will play last year’s national champions the University of Oklahoma on Tuesday, March 29. 

This season’s roster returns starter Sydney McKinney who was named All-American last year. The Shockers also return Addison Barnard who broke the single season home run record as a true freshman. Starters Neleigh Herring, and pitchers Erin McDonald, and Caitlin Bingham also return to this season’s roster.

Full Conference Schedule 

April 1-3 – Tulsa 

April 8-10 – @South Florida 

April 14-16 – @Houston 

April 22-24 – Memphis 

April 29-May 1 – @East Carolina 

May 6-8 – Central Florida