Softball Set For ACC/Big Ten Challenge

The University of Louisville softball team return to action this weekend when the Cardinals travel to Atlanta for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge hosted by Georgia Tech. The Cardinals will open the weekend against Illinois on Friday at 1 p.m. The tournament will continue on Saturday when Louisville takes on Wisconsin at 10 a.m. followed by a rematch with Illinois. The Cards will wrap up the weekend against the Badgers at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

2023 ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Dates: Feb. 17-19, 2023
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Venue: Mewborn Field (Georgia Tech)
Opponents: Illinois, Wisconsin
Television: None | Live Scoring | Louisville Game Notes

QUICK HITS
• The University of Louisville softball team return to action this weekend when the Cardinals travel to Atlanta for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge hosted by Georgia Tech. The Cardinals will open the weekend against Illinois on Friday at 1 p.m. The tournament will continue on Saturday when Louisville takes on Wisconsin at 10 a.m. followed by a rematch with Illinois. The Cards will wrap up the weekend against the Badgers at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
• UofL brings a 4-1 record into the weekend following an impressive showing at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. In their first five games, the Cards outscored opponents 26-10 with a pair of eight-run rule games and three straight shutouts to end the weekend. As a team, Louisville registered a .313 batting average and a 0.97 ERA.
• The Cardinals are receiving votes in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches' polls.
• Louisville carries a 9-11 record entering the sixth season of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge - the tournament as not been played the past two seasons.
• Graduate student Taylor Roby has reached via a hit or walk in all five games and carries a .500 batting average with three doubles, a home run and four RBIs.
• Alyssa Zabala (2-0) has allowed only one unearned run and delivered nine strikeouts in 10.0 innings. The freshman was named to the NFCA Leadoff All-Tournament team after an impressive collegiate debut.
• The Cardinals will return 13 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's team including two-time NFCA All-Southeast Region selection Taylor Roby and 2022 ACC all-freshman honoree Korbe Otis. Louisville also welcomes six newcomers to the 2023 roster including transfers Paige Geraghty and Daisy Hess.
• The Cardinals were picked to finish seventh in the 2023 ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

THE HOLLY APRILE ERA
• Head coach Holly Aprile is entering her fifth season as UofL's head coach. During her time at the helm – which includes the COVID-19 impacted 2020 season, Aprile guided the Cardinals to 97 wins and an NCAA regional final appearance in 2019.
• Prior to her arrival at Louisville, Aprile, the 2018 ACC Coach of the Year spent 10 seasons (2009-18) as Pittsburgh's head coach and five years (2004-08) as an assistant. In 2018, she earned ACC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Panthers to the 2018 ACC Coastal Division title and a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament.

CARDS AGAINST THE OPPONENTS
ILLINOIS
Series Record: Illinois leads 5-4
Last Meeting: March 5, 2022 - UL won 9-8 at Ulmer Stadium.
Scouting the Illini: Illinois spent its opening weekend in Clearwater, Fla. at the NFCA Leadoff Classic where the Illini went 2-3 with wins over Southern and Fordham and losses to No. 13 Tennessee, No. 6 Texas and No. 21 Auburn.
• Brianna Nykaza leads the team with a .455 batting average while Sydney Sickels has pitched a team-high 11.1 innings and carries a 4.32 ERA.

WISCONSIN
Series Record: Tied 4-4
Last Meeting: Feb. 15, 2020; UofL won 3-2 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at North Carolina
Scouting the Badgers: Wisconsin enters the weekend with an 0-4 record in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with losses to California Baptist, BYU, No. 23 Ole Miss and No. 24 Oregon.
• Katie Keller leads the team with a .333 average while Maddie Schwartz has carried the bulk of the pitching duties with a 4.20 ERA.

UP NEXT
Following the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Cardinals will hit the road for the third straight week when they travel to Orlando for UCF's Knight's Classic to face UCF, Columbia, Bradley and Purdue.

LAST UP
The Cardinals posted an impressive 4-1 record in their season-opening weekend with two eight run-rule wins and three shutouts.

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Players Mentioned

Paige Geraghty

Daisy Hess

Korbe Otis

Taylor Roby

Alyssa Zabala

University of Louisville Athletics