Thees is ready for softball's first pitch

At the University of Tennessee's UT Fall Invitational, the Lady Tigers will face Lee University in their noon game.

"It's really good because (the team) finally gets a chance to compete against someone besides themselves," said head coach Wendy Thees. "They've been doing very well in practice."

The team is fairly young starting out, with the oldest players being six juniors. There are seven freshman on the team, three of them from California.

This ability to recruit players from around the nation was a reason the U of M was attracted to Thees.

"She grew up on the west coast, so contacts there will hopefully help recruiting," said Lynn Parkes, associate athletic director. "She had a good background in the sport and even went to the Women's World Series."

The two-day event in Knoxville concludes Sunday afternoon with a game against the Lady Volunteers after three Saturday games.

And just because the Lady Tigers are hitting the field for the first time in school history, don't expect a struggling team just because they're new.

"Yes, it's brand-new, but we have no less expectations for the team," Thees said. "Everyone on this team is used to winning where they've been before coming here, too."

Parkes acknowledged the team is the new group on campus, but that shouldn't affect their play this season.

"We just expect them to be competitive and continue to show progress all year," she said.

After concluding play this weekend, the Lady Tigers end play until their spring season begins. They open at the Louisiana-Lafayette Tournament on Feb. 11 and will play their first home game a week later during the Lady Tiger Classic.

"It's good to have softball in this area because it's a very popular sport," Parkes said. "This will help The University because the team can recruit strong students."

She added that the program has been very well-received and the softball staff has blended well with the other coaches in the athletic department.