BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University softball team opens its 2016 season this weekend as it heads to Las Vegas to play five games over three days at the Sportco Kick Off Classic hosted by UNLV.
 
The Cardinals meet Syracuse and the host Rebels on Friday, ninth-ranked Oklahoma and Utah Valley on Saturday, and South Dakota on Sunday.
 
"It's going to be a challenging tournament," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We're playing some good teams. By playing five games in three days, everybody will have the opportunity to show what they can do."
 
LU, which revived the softball program in 2013, is coming off its best-ever season. The Cardinals set a school record for wins, as they went 26-28 overall. LU finished fifth in the Southland Conference with a 14-10 mark, and finished third at the Southland Conference Tournament. The Cardinals posted the biggest win since reviving the program, knocking off 25^th-ranked Texas 9-1 in five innings on the Longhorns' home field.
 
"That showed us we can play with the best teams," said senior left fielder Sarah Ragsdale, who hit .315 last season. That was such a big win for our program."
 
The Cardinals are picked to finish fourth in the conference this season, a prediction Bruder is comfortable with.
 
"Northwestern State and McNeese State are the top two because they have been good for so long. Central Arkansas, which is picked third, won the tournament last year. We think we're better than fourth place, but we have to prove it."
 
Senior shortstop Stephanie Meeuwsen enters the season needing one hit to set the LU record for career hits. Meeuwsen has 151 career hits, the same number as Donna Dugas, who played for LU from 1984-87.  Senior center fielder Jenna Holland has 67 career RBIS, two shy of the LU record of 69, established by Casey Cromwell, who graduated after the 2015 season.
 
"With so many fourth-year seniors, we expect to see some records broken this season," Bruder said. "Of course, with the quality of our younger players, I hope those players will break the records our players set this season."
 
Bruder feels the trip to Las Vegas will be a positive one.
 
"Our first priority is softball, but we will take some time to have some fun," Bruder said. "Some of our players have never been on an airplane, so this is going to be a great experience."
 
Following the tournament in Vegas, LU hosts its first-ever tournament, the Cardinal Classic, from Feb. 19-21 at the LU Softball Complex. The three-day, 12-game event will see Northern Colorado, Texas Southern, Alcorn State and Incarnate Word come to LU.
 
"We're excited to be able to play in front of our fans in our beautiful, new stadium," Bruder said. "It's definitely going to be an advantage for us."
 
For ticket information, for LU home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.