Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball Hosts OCU In Home Opener
February 16, 2004 | Cowgirl Softball
1994 W 1-0 Wichita State 1995 W 2-1 Wichita State 1996 W 3-2 Baylor 1997 W 4-0 Mississippi 1998 W 9-1 Oklahoma City 1999 L 1-2 Oklahoma City 2000 W 20-0 Panhandle State 2001 W 6-0 Ole Miss 2002 W 8-0 Tulsa 2003 W 6-0 Panhandle State
HEAD COACH MARGARET REBENAR
Margaret Rebenar is in her 25th season season as a softball coach at Oklahoma State and third as a head coach. She brings a 70-41 record as a head coach into Tuesday's contest. Rebenar led the 2003 Cowgirls to a second place finish in the Big 12 regular season race and their first NCAA Regional appearance in five years. Under her guidance, 23 players have earned All-American status 29 times, including Olympians Michele Smith, Melanie Roche and Lauren Bay.
SCOUTING OCU
Oklahoma City opens the season at Cowgirl Stadium on Tuesday. OCU returns nine letterwinners and five starters from a team that finished 38-25 overall and 5-7 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Stars went 2-2 in the NAIA National Tournament in 2003. Oklahoma City returns three of its top five hitters from one year ago. Sophomore Jill Vaughn had a team-leading .388 batting average, 21 doubles and 12 home runs. Other big producers returning are Kelley Smith (.321), Shelly McGowen (.319) and Kate Beasley (.317). Angela Stratton is the lone returning pitcher for OCU. Stratton posted a 4-2 record last year with a 3.44 ERA.
OKLAHOMA STATE IN THE POLLS
The Cowgirls were ranked 21st in the preseason NFCA Coaches poll and 24th in the most recently released ESPN/USA Softball poll. It marked the first time since 1999 that the Cowgirls were ranked to start the season.
LET THE RACE BEGIN
klahoma State has set a new record for home runs the past two seasons, sending 44 yard in 2002 and 48 in 2003. The Cowgirls got started on a new record this past weekend in San Diego, knocking three out of the park. Two were game-winners and the third brought in the tying run. OSU may have to pick up the pace if it plans on rewriting the record books once again, the Cowgirls had eight after five games last year.
FIGHTING FOR PRACTICE TIME
Oklahoma State's softball team has been faced with unseasonably cold and wet weather since reporting for practice this spring. The Cowgirls were able to practice outside just three times before heading to San Diego to open the season. Four scrimmages were on tap as well but OSU was able to play just one, the day before leaving for San Diego. The Cowgirls spent the majority of their time in the indoor hitting facility and even resorted to using the auxiliary gym in the Athletics Center.
2004 SCHEDULE
The Cowgirls will face seven opponents ranked in the NFCA preseason Top 25; Arizona, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Cal State Fullerton, Stanford and Texas A&M. Four of those, UA, OU, NU and UT are in the Top 10. The NFCA poll will be released every Wednesday throughout the season beginning Feb. 18.
LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma Sate hosts North Carolina at 4 p.m. Thursday before heading to Denton, Texas, for the North Texas Betlin Roundup Friday-Sunday. The Cowgirls will face Creighton, Wichita State, Texas-Arlington, North Texas, Southwest Missouri State and New Mexico at the tournament.
