Feb. 5, 2015

Tournament Central

CHICAGO - The UIC softball team will get its 2015 campaign underway this weekend as it co-hosts the second-annual Total Control Sports Invitational alongside Loyola at the Dome in Rosemont, Ill. The three-day tournament kicks off with the Flames taking on Syracuse at 1 p.m. CT on Friday.

UIC will look to improve on last season's result after going 16-28 with eight wins in conference play. Its season came to an end in the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship when it suffered a 4-3 (8) loss to Valparaiso.

"Some of the goals that we have are to play consistently well and play our best ball as we get towards the end of the season," seventh-year head coach Michelle Venturella said. "Like everyone, we have been working on a lot of things with the mental game, as well as being better softball players, and we are excited to see those things in motion now that the season is upon us."

After graduating four and losing two additional letterwinners, the Flames return 13, including senior Paige Peterson (OF), who earned 2014 Second Team All-League and All-Region Third Team honors and hit .404 last season. In the College Sports Madness Horizon Preseason All-Conference selections, Peterson earned a spot on the first team as juniors Bridget Boyle (P) and Laura Swan (INF) were chosen for the second team.

UIC also brings in freshmen Taylor Cairns (INF), Karissa Frazier (P) and Tiana Mack-Miller (INF) in addition to Middle Tennessee transfer LaRi Mitchell (OF).

"We had a great group that graduated, no doubt about it, but we couldn't be more pleased with the people that we have coming in this year. I don't think we're really going to replace people, but we're excited about what our newcomers have added and I think you're going to see some pretty good things out of all of them this season."

The Total Control Sports Invitational will be a good challenge for the Flames, as they are set to take on North Dakota, Miami (Oh), Butler and Central Michigan in addition to Syracuse. Loyola, Samford and Western Illinois will also be competing during the tournament.

"It's great just to have the tournament happen. The fact that we can go again to Rosemont and play in the Dome is incredible. For us, it's going to be about playing our game, doing the things that we want to accomplish, and knowing that if we stay within that process, that it doesn't matter who we play but we just want to again get better every chance that we have."

Following the Total Control Sports Invitational, UIC will compete in the SCU Bronco Classic (Feb. 20-22) in Santa Clara, Calif., the USF-Under Armour Invitational (Feb.27-March 1) in Clearwater, Fla., and the UCF Knights Spring Fling Tournament (March 13-15) in Orlando, Fla., before returning to Chicago to begin conference play on March 20 against Oakland.