Florida is the Final Stop

March 10, 2010

• Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
• Iowa and the Big Ten Network
• Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
• 24 Hawkeyes to Watch (2009-10 season)

ON DECK
The University of Iowa softball team travels to Boca Raton, FL this weekend to compete at the FAU “Parents Weekend” Tournament. Below is Iowa’s tournament schedule. All times listed are central.

Friday, March 12,
vs. Charleston Southern 3 p.m.
vs. Virginia Tech 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 13
vs. Western Kentucky 8 a.m.
vs. Jacksonville 12 p.m.
Sunday, March 14
at Florida Atlantic 2 p.m.
Tuesday, March 16
vs. Syracuse 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 18
at Florida Atlantic (DH) 5 p.m.

FAU “PARENTS WEEKEND” TOURNAMENT NOTES
? Iowa’s Mar. 12 matchup with Charleston Southern will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools.
? The Hawkeyes have never lost in five meeting vs. Virginia Tech. The teams last met in 2005 when Iowa defeated the Hokies, 3-2.
? Iowa defeated Western Kentucky 3-0 in the only meeting between the schools (2004).
? Iowa’s Mar. 13 matchup with Jacksonville will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools.
? Iowa and Florida Atlantic have split four meetings in the all-time series. After losing the first two series meetings in 2002, the Hawkeyes defeated FAU 1-0 in 2006 and 6-5 last season.
? The Hawkeyes are 2-1 in their all-time series with Syracuse. The Orange won the latest meeting 5-2 in 2006.

HAWKEYES ON THE WEB
Fans that can’t make it to Boca Raton, FL can follow the action at hawkeyesports.com, where live stats (Gametracker) will be available. The “GT” link can be found under the calendar tab on the right-hand side of the hawkeyesports.com home page, or on the softball schedule page.

TRIPLE CROWN HAWKEYE
As the season rolls along, so does junior Chelsey Carmody. The St. Louis, MO native leads Iowa in all three triple crown categories. She blasted her fifth homerun of the season last weekend after hitting just two career homeruns entering 2010. Carmody has the second-highest batting average in the conference (.415) among players with at least 50 at-bats and her 11 RBI ties for the team lead (Katie Brown).

LINDSEY AT THE BAT
Senior Lindsey Digmann ranks second in the Big Ten with 23 hits. She has hit safely in her last four games, including a career-best four hits vs. #11 Georgia Tech Feb. 28. The Marion, IA native leads Iowa in runs scored (7) and is tied for the team lead with 13 hits, the fourth highest total in the Big Ten. She also leads the Hawkeyes with six stolen bases in eight attempts.

Q: WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
A: A little bit of everything. Senior Katie Brown has been Iowa’s do-it-all this season. She is tied for the team lead in RBI while holding down the clean-up spot in the batting order and occasionally makes an appearance in the circle. In four relief appearances, Brown has held right-handed hitters to a lowly .100 batting average. In her first career start since her freshman season (2007), Brown struck out four batters in a rain-shortened 3-3 tie vs. Saint Mary’s.

INNINGS EATER
Senior Amanda Zust leads the Hawkeyes and ranks second in the Big Ten in innings pitched. A native of Des Moines, IA, Zust has tossed 73.1 innings in 2010, including seven complete games. She allowed just five runs in 28 innings during one stretch of four-straight complete game victories (2/14-2/20).

TRIPLE THREAT
Sophomore Liz Watkins played in 56 games last season without recording a single three-base hit. Apparently eager to avoid repeating such a feat, the Taylor Ridge, IL native banged out two triples in Iowa’s opening weekend and is currently tied for the league lead in three-baggers.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Iowa boasts five position players that have started every game at their respective positions this season. Around the horn, Iowa’s iron-women include Katie Brown (1b), Lindsey Digmann (3b), Jenny Schuelke (LF), Johnnie Dowling (CF) and Taylor Leichsenring (RF). Liz Watkins (C), Katie Keim (SS/2b) and Chelsey Carmody (2b/SS) have started 16 of Iowa’s 17 games.

IOWA IN THE POLLS
The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll.

OPPONENTS IN THE POLLS
Seven Iowa opponents are ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 preseason polls. Michigan (5/5), UCLA (7/6), Arizona State (8/10), Alabama (10/7), Georgia Tech (11/8), Ohio State (17/17) and Illinois (21/25) are all ranked. Northwestern is receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball polls.

ROAD WARRIORS
Iowa is scheduled to play its first 26 games away from Iowa City. The Hawkeyes open the home portion of their schedule with a doubleheader against South Dakota Mar. 20 at Pearl Field. The Hawkeyes ran up an impressive 31-13 record outside of Iowa City last season, including a 13-9 mark in true road contests and an 18-4 record in neutral site games.

THREE-FOR-FOUR
The Hawkeyes return three of their top four hitters from a 2009. Senior Katie Brown, junior Chelsey Carmody and sophomore Liz Watkins hit .337 collectively in 168 combined games.

NOW BATTING FOR IOWA
The Hawkeyes welcome eight newcomers to the 2010 roster. Juniors Stephanie Ochoa and Sarah Spiering hit campus after two celebrated careers at the Junior College level. The Hawkeyes have six freshmen on this year’s roster, including Iowa natives Ashley Akers, Johnnie Dowling, Sam Valentine and Ashley Vanderloo. Oklahoma native Chelsea Lyon and Oregon native Jordan Goschie round out the freshmen class.

METRODOME ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Juniors Chelsey Carmody and Jenny Schuelke were named to the all-tournament team at last weekend’s Metrodome Tournament. Carmody batted .400 with a homerun and a pair of RBI while Schuelke hit .385 and belted the game-winning homerun in Iowa’s 2-1 victory over Western Illinois.

RETURNING AWARD WINNERS
Sophomore Liz Watkins was given three awards at the 2009 softball banquet; Most Improved, Coaches and Peg Augspurger Hawkeye Heart award. Sophomore Katie Keim shared the Most Improved award with Watkins. Seniors Katie Brown and Amanda Zust shared the team’s Golden Glove award.

Complete Release in PDF Format