CHICAGO (October 31, 2017) – Fresh off its most successful season since 2013, the Loyola University Chicago softball program will play 10 games against teams that reached the NCAA tournament a year ago, according to the 2018 schedule announced today by fourth-year head coach Jeff Tylka. A year ago, the Ramblers won 27 games and claimed a game at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
 
"We have assembled a challenging non-conference schedule that includes seven games against teams that reached the NCAA tournament a year ago," Tylka said. "Those contests should provide us with a great barometer of where we stand as a team in addition to preparing us well for the grind of Missouri Valley Conference play and our quest for a conference championship."
 
Loyola raises the curtain on the 2018 campaign, February 9-11, when it co-hosts the Total Control Sports Invitational at The Dome in Rosemont. The Ramblers will battle Northern Colorado, Wright State, Eastern Kentucky, Fort Wayne, and IUPUI at the season-opening tournament.
 
The following weekend, Loyola heads to Houston where it will face Houston Baptist and Texas Southern, which reached the NCAA tournament a year ago. After taking a weekend off from competition, the Ramblers head to Florida for their annual spring break trip and will compete in the Sunshine State, March 2-10. That extended trip opens March 2 at the three-day EMU Madeira Beach Invitational in Madeira Beach, Florida. Loyola commences play in that tourney versus La Salle and Long Island on March 2 before battling Seton Hall (March 3), SIU Edwardsville (March 4) and Villanova (March 4) to round out play.
 
Following midweek games versus Northern Kentucky and South Dakota State on March 7 in Clearwater, Florida, Loyola will compete in the USF Tournament in Tampa, March 9-11, where it will face another NCAA tournament team from last spring, Lehigh (March 11).
 
Missouri Valley Conference play opens on March 17 when the Ramblers head to Carbondale, Illinois for a three-game weekend series against defending MVC Tournament champion Southern Illinois. After playing the first month of the season away from home, Loyola's home opener is scheduled for March 21 when it will play a doubleheader against in-state rival Northern Illinois. In all, Loyola has 11 home dates on its 2018 schedule and will play its Valley home opener on March 30 when it hosts Evansville in a twin bill.
 
Loyola's final home games are slated for April 28-29, when they host Drake in a three-game series. Regular-season action concludes May 5-6 with a three-game set at Indiana State before MVC Tournament play, May 10-12 in Des Moines.
 
The Ramblers welcome back six position player starters from a year ago, including junior catcher Katie Kasubke, who was a MVC All-Defensive Team honoree in 2017. Tylka also returns both pitchers from last season – juniors Kiley Jones and Keenan Dolezal.