Sept. 21, 2007
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team opened its 2007 fall season with three different events over the past two weekends.
The Hawkeyes hosted their annual alumni game September 7, with 24 former players returning to Pearl Field to participate against the current squad. Head Coach Gayle Blevins was pleased to see so many former student-athletes make the trip back to Iowa City.
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“I think the fact that so many alumni want to come back shows the level of commitment to Iowa softball. We have so many former players continue to show their support to the team. When you talk about Iowa softball, you are definitely talking about a family.”
Head Coach Gayle Blevins
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“I think the fact that so many alumni want to come back shows the level of commitment to Iowa softball,” Blevins said. “We have so many former players continue to show their support to the team. When you talk about Iowa softball, you are definitely talking about a family.”
Some of those alumni were honored prior to the Iowa football game against Syracuse. Members of the 1997 team celebrated the 10-year anniversary of doing something that no other Big Ten softball team has done; go undefeated in conference play.
The 1997 Hawkeyes finished the Big Ten schedule with a 22-0 record en route to a berth in the College World Series, where they finished fifth in the nation. Eight members of the team along with former assistant Rich Calvert and Coach Blevins were honored on the field before kickoff.
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The 1997 team was honored during the Iowa football game against Syracuse. |
The current Iowa softball team started its fall competition with a 7-0 win over Augustana and a 5-2 win against Upper Iowa in the Hawkeye Classic September 15.
The Hawkeyes continue competition this weekend at Drake in the All-Iowa Tournament. Iowa will face Iowa State Saturday at 10 a.m. and Drake at 2 p.m. The Hawkeyes will also play Northern Iowa Sunday at 11 a.m. and Drake once again at 2 p.m.
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.