Schedule

RUSTON -- Following a season that saw Louisiana Tech earn its first trip to an NCAA Regional in almost a decade, Lady Techster head coach Mark Montgomery is challenging his 2018 squad with the schedule.

Entering his sixth year in Ruston, Montgomery and Co. face a 56-game slate that includes 19 contests against national postseason tournament teams from last year. Thirteen of those games are against NCAA Regional teams and six are against National Invitational Softball Championship teams.

"Every year we try to put together a schedule that will prepare us to both make and be successful in postseason play," said Montgomery. "I believe this year is extremely challenging with 10 teams in the top 50 on our schedule. Our goal is to become one of those top teams and to take another step forward so we can qualify as an at large team to the NCAA Tournament."

Tech's schedule is highlighted by four tournaments. The Lady Techsters open the season at the 2018 Puerta Vallarta College Challenge featuring the Lady Techsters, Georgia, James Madison, Nevada and Long Beach Feb. 8-11 in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Georgia and James Madison are both coming off NCAA Regional appearances.

The Lady Techsters also play stiff competition at the LSU Tournament Feb. 16-18 against LSU, Oregon State, Central Arkansas and Southern Utah. Both the Tigers and the Beavers played in the NCAA Tournament last year.

Perhaps the toughest tournament will be March 2-4 in College Station, Texas. All five of Tech's games will come against NCAA Tournament teams, including a pair against the host Aggies, two against Texas State and one against Utah.

Tech will host the Louisiana Tech Invitational Feb. 23-25. The three-day, 15-game event will feature the Lady Techsters, Missouri State, Saint Louis, South Dakota, U-Mass Lowell and Alcorn State.

Montgomery and Co. will also play home and homes with Northwestern State, ULM and Grambling State while playing single game mid-week contests against Lamar, Southeastern Louisiana, McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin.

During the Lady Techsters bye weekend from Conference USA play they will travel to Dallas to play a two-game series against former WAC foe Utah State. Those games will be played April 27 and 28 at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.

Tech will play a 24-game league slate featuring three-game home series against FIU, Southern Miss, UAB and UTSA and three-game road series at Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Charlotte and UTEP. The Conference USA Tournament will be held May 9-12 in Charlotte, North Carolina.