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SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State softball head coach Holly Hesse announced her team's 2017 schedule Tuesday (Nov. 1), a 50-game regular-season slate that includes four tournaments, 15 home games and a competitive 27-game conference agenda for her 29th season at the helm of the Bears.
 
MSU will open the season on Friday, Feb. 10 at the Louisiana Tech Invitational in Ruston, La. The field for the three-day event includes a pair of 30-win programs from last season, including NCAA Tournament qualifier Samford and host Louisiana Tech.
 
The Bears then travel to College Station, Texas for the Texas A&M Invitational, Feb. 17-19. MSU will play two games against the host Aggies, who made the NCAA field last year. Missouri State also plays New Mexico twice in College Station.
 
After a week off, the squad heads to Kansas City for the annual Missouri Cancer Awareness Tournament, March 3-5. MSU will play UMKC, Saint Louis and SEMO in a round-robin event to support the "We Back Pat" initiative. The championship and third-place games of that tournament will be played on March 5.
 
Missouri State's final non-conference tournament will take place in Oxford, Ala., March 10-12. The impressive field includes 11 teams playing on three fields over three days. The Ohio Valley Tournament will see MSU taking on Tennessee State, Alabama State and Belmont in addition to 2016 NCAA Tournament teams Samford and Jacksonville State.
 
"We are excited to challenge ourselves with at least one NCAA tournament team from the 2016 campaign in three of our four early-season events," Hesse said. "In addition, we look forward to competing against teams from the Big 12, SEC, American Athletic, OVC and Southland conferences, in non-conference play."  
 
MSU will take to the road for three non-conference single games in March with trips to Central Arkansas (May 14) and NCAA qualifiers Oklahoma State (March 16) and Tulsa (March 29). The Bears will also host non-conference matchups at Killian Stadium against Arkansas (March 21) and SIU Edwardsville (April 26).
 
The Bears' conference schedule kicks off with a home series against Northern Iowa, March 18-19. Hesse's troops will also host Loyola (March 25-26), Evansville (April 14-15) and Drake (April 29-30) in MVC play, in addition to a single game against defending MVC champion Wichita State on April 25. The Valley Tournament takes place in Normal, Ill., May 11-13.
 
"The Missouri Valley will once again be a battle each weekend," Hesse explained. "Several teams have the potential to win the regular season championship." 
 
Hesse and the Bears return 12 letter winners and 14 squad members from last season with four new players in the fold, including three freshmen.
 
Softball season ticket information is available by calling (417) 836-8899 or by completing an online season-ticket order form.