Jan. 9, 2012

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team announced its 2012 spring schedule recently and the Terrapins will face six teams from the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Maryland will play in five early season tournaments. The Terps will host the annual Maryland Round Robin March 9-11, as well as three ACC weekend series including three games vs. ACC champion Florida State in May.

The Terrapins will open the season Feb. 17-19 in Florida Atlantic's Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla. with five games. They will see 2011 NCAA Tournament teams Kentucky and Michigan, as well as Long Island, Wright State and the tournament-host Owls.

One week later, the Terps will take part in ESPN's Citrus Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports. There, they will face off against Southern Illinois, Marshall, Wisconsin, St. John's and Army.

March 2-4, the Terrapins will trek south to Tusacaloosa, Ala. to play in Alabama's Invitational. Terrapin assistants Charlotte Morgan and Kelly Kretschman are Alabama alums. While in Tuscaloosa, they will see the Crimson Tide and Massachusetts twice, as well as NCAA Tournament team UAB. Alabama went to the 2011 Women's College World Series.

Following their trip to Tuscaloosa, the Terrapins will play host to their annual round robin tournament. Rhode Island, Kent State and Princeton will all come to College Park.

The Terps will head to South Florida's Invitational March 16-18 in Clearwater, Fla. They will play games vs. Bryant, Canisius, Boston University, Illinois and Florida A&M. They close the weekend with an exhibition matchup against the Netherlands.

They will welcome Virginia Tech, Virginia and Florida State all to College Park for ACC series, while traveling to North Carolina, Georgia Tech, NC State and Boston College.

George Mason, Howard and Delaware State will all head to Robert E. Taylor Stadium for midweek doubleheaders.

In 2011, the Terps earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the second straight year. Maryland hosted the 2011 Regionals at Robert E. Taylor Stadium and welcomed Baylor, Lehigh and East Carolina for Regionals. The Terrapins went 40-19 and were 20-8 at home.