Softball hosts GCU Kickoff Tourney in 2017 debut

GCU KICKOFF TOURNAMENT \| FEB. 10-12 \| GCU Softball Stadium \| Phoenix, Ariz.
GRAND CANYON LOPES 0-0 (0-0 WAC) Stats .pdf Link GAME NOTES	vs.	NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS 0-0 (0-0 BIG SKY) Stats .pdf Link GAME NOTES
HOW TO FOLLOW GCU TV \| Live Stats Live Stats \| @GCUSoftball \| Tournament Schedule
Schedule vs. Northern Colorado \| Friday, Feb. 10 - 2:30 p.m. \| Saturday, Feb. 11 - Noon \| Sunday, Feb. 12 - 11:30 a.m.


GRAND CANYON LOPES 0-0 (0-0 WAC) Stats .pdf Link GAME NOTES	vs.	BRADLEY BRAVES 0-0 (0-0 MISSOURI VALLEY) Stats .pdf Link GAME NOTES
HOW TO FOLLOW G CU TV \| Live Stats Live Stats \| @GCUSoftball
Schedule vs. Bradley \| Friday, Feb. 10 - 5:00 p.m. \| Saturday, Feb. 11 - 2:30 p.m. \| Sunday, Feb. 12 - 9:00 a.m.

The Grand Canyon softball team will debut the 2017 season as they host the GCU Kickoff Tournament this weekend on Feb.10-12. The Lopes will welcome Northern Colorado and Bradley to the new GCU Softball Stadium for the weekend of events.

GCU will play in six contests during opening weekend, playing each team three times. GCU kicks things off on Friday, Feb. 10 against the Bears, first pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. MST. The Lopes will conclude opening day against Bradley at 5. GCU returns to the field Saturday, Feb.11 for the second round of tourney action. The Lopes will meet UNC at noon followed by Bradley at 2:30. GCU will conclude ball play on Sunday, Feb. 12 as they face Bradley at 9 a.m. and UNC at 11:30 for the final time.

THE RUN DOWN

The Lopes officially debut in the new GCU Softball Stadium Friday against Northern Colorado.
GCU welcomes six newcomers to the squad including right-handed pitcher Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage.
Ann Pierson enters her 14th year at the helm as GCU's only coach of the softball program.
GCU tied with New Mexico State for the No.1 spot in the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Taylor Nowlin was also tabbed WAC Preseason Pitcher of the year, while Nowlin, Camree Wartman and Shea Smith landed on the Preseason All-WAC Squad.
GCU returns seven starters, which include National Fastpich Coaches Association (NFCA) All-West Region selections Nowlin and Wartman.
With a 3.67, the Lopes earned the highest grade point average (GPA) among Division I softball programs during the offseason.
At 35-15 the Lopes finished the year with the best overall record since joining Division I action in 2014. GCU also had the best RPI rankings in program history. They finished 2016 at No. 53 in RPI.
GCU's all-time strikeout leader Nowlin returns to the circle for her senior season after recording an 18-5 record with a 2.31 era and 132 strikeouts on the year. The reigning WAC pitcher of the year led the conference in three categories at the conclusion of the season.
Wartman finished first on the squad with a .392 batting average good for first place in the WAC and a spot on the NFCA All-West Region Second Team.

Sizing up the Opponents

Northern Colorado Notables

The Bears finished the 2016 season with a 9-33 record, going 4-14 in the Big Sky.
Northern Colorado returns senior infielder Erika Dick. Dick led the nation in triples per game last season. She also scored the most runs in Bear history with 123 career.
Head coach Shana Easley enters her fifth year at the helm of the program.
UNC welcomes three newcomers to the program this season.
GCU will meet UNC for the third time in program history. The Lopes lead the all-time series at 2-0. GCU last faced the Bears in 2015, during the inaugural GCU Kickoff Tournament.
In the team's last meeting, GCU's Nowlin struckout 10 batters, pitching a three-hitter to lead the Lopes to a 7-1 win over the Bears.

Bradley Notables

The Braves finished the 2016 season with a 18-30 record, with a 12-14 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Bradley welcomes back 12 returners including senior Kelly Kapp. The Preseason All-MVC Selection, finished 2016 with a .405 batting average which earned her Third-Team NFCA All-Midwast Region honors.
Head coach Amy Hayes enters her ninth year at the helm of the Bradley softball program.
Senior Jaelen Hull will lead the Bradley pitching staff of five. Hull led the Braves in five categories which included ERA, shutouts and strikeouts. She tossed a career-best 103 strikeouts last season.
GCU will meet Bradley for the first time in program history this weekend.

GCU Kickoff Tournament Notables

The Lopes will host the GCU Kickoff Tournament for the third-straight season, with the inaugural tournament in 2015.
GCU is 9-1 in the tournament since its inception with its lone loss to Tulsa in 2015. The Lopes went on to defeat Northern Colorado and Santa Clara on the weekend.
Last season GCU went a perfect 6-0 during opening weekend with wins over UMBC, Idaho State and Loyola Marymount. Nowlin combined for a no-hitter, tallying GCU's first shutout of the season with a 18-0 victory over UMBC in the season opener.

Up Next
GCU will open its road slate at the Gettermen Classic hosted by the No. 21 Baylor Bears on Feb. 17-19. The Lopes will face Baylor along with North Texas, UTSA and Lamar during the weekend.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brianna Aguilar

Taylor Nowlin

Shea Smith

Camree Wartman

Grand Canyon University Athletics