MOBILE, Ala. ? Four NCAA Tournament teams and two Top 25 teams from a year ago highlight the 2007 inaugural University of South Alabama softball schedule as announced by Jaguar head coach Becky Clark on Tuesday. 

“Everything for us this year is a ?first’ so there is a tremendous amount of built in excitement,” said Clark.  “I am really looking forward to getting our inaugural season kicked off so we can see where we stack up.  There has been a year and a half of build up so it will be nice to finally get on the field and compete.”

The Jags began spring practice this past Saturday and will begin their inaugural season in Hattiesburg, Miss., against Conference USA member Southern Mississippi on Feb. 14.  They then travel to Jacksonville State on Feb. 17-18 to participate in the Gamecock Classic, along with JSU and Belmont.  USA opens the home season on Feb. 24-25 with the Jaguar Classic in a round-robin tournament. Birmingham Southern, Grambling State and Southeastern Louisiana are scheduled to participate in the tournament.

South Alabama will take to the road again March 2-4 in its third tournament of the spring when the Jaguars compete at the Altamonte Springs Tournament, hosted by Central Florida.  USA will face Big East member Villanova, Eastern Michigan, Stetson and Holy Cross.  Other teams participating in the tournament include Jacksonville State, UCF and NCAA Tournament participant Virginia Tech.

USA then travels to Birmingham Southern for the Panther Spring Classic held March 9-11, facing BSC, Kennesaw State, Austin Peay and another NCAA Tournament participant Mississippi Valley State.

The Jags will play two USA Today/NFCA Top 25 teams, including No. 21 Auburn (April 10) and No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette (April 14-15), who also were NCAA Tournament participants.  ULL finished the season with a 50-12 record and its seventh straight Sun Belt tournament title.  Conference newcomer Florida Atlantic, who the Jags will face in a weekend series on March 31-April 1, finished the 2006 season with a 35-25 record and the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament title, also receiving a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“I am excited to have some great teams coming in to play on our home field,” said Clark.  “We have the defending Sun Belt Conference Champions and NCAA Regional participant, Louisiana-Lafayette coming to Mobile.  We also will host first-year league member Florida Atlantic, who won the Atlantic Sun last season.  Both games will be huge for us.  We also travel to Auburn in April and I know the kids will be looking forward to that one.”

South Alabama will play 24 conference games this season, opening at home against North Texas with a three game stand, March 17-18.  The Jaguars are slated to host conference foes UNT, FAU, ULL (April 14-15) and Western Kentucky (April 28-29), while traveling to Middle Tennessee (March 24-25), Louisiana-Monroe (April 6-7), Florida International (April 21-22) and in-state foe Troy (May 5-6).

This year’s Sun Belt Conference Championship will be held in Murfreesboro, Tenn., May 10-12.  With the addition of FAU and Louisiana-Monroe and the USA program, the Sun Belt now has nine teams participating in softball.