Cyclones Set To Open 2021 At UNI Dome Tournament

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State softball team will begin its 2021 campaign this weekend at the Doc Halverson UNI Dome Tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Cyclones open the season on Friday at 11:15 a.m. vs. South Dakota State, followed by a 3:45 p.m. game vs. host UNI. They will face Butler (8 a.m.) and Omaha (12:30 p.m.) on Saturday, and close out the weekend on Sunday vs. Drake (11:15 a.m.).

Doc Halverson UNI Dome Tournament
Where: Cedar Falls, Iowa – UNI Dome
When: Feb. 12-14
Watch: ESPN+ (Sunday's game vs. Drake not available. Links to live streams can be found on the schedule page here.)
Live Stats: Available here.

KEY STORYLINES
- Fans will be allowed to attend this weekend's tournament. Tickets are $10 per day and can only be purchased the day of the event. Seating is general admission, and fans must social distance and wear face masks.

- The Iowa State softball team will be returning to the diamond after a 341-day hiatus. The Cyclones' last game was played on March 8, 2020 vs. USF. The season was canceled four days later.

- Iowa State returns 7 of 9 starters from last season, as well as its entire pitching staff. ISU's top 5 hitters return, including 2019 All-American Sami Williams.

- Williams and Logan Schaben both decided to return for their 5th year of eligibility after the 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

- The Cyclone offense returns 82.4% of its hits, 86% of its RBIs, 85.7% of its runs scored and all 18 home runs from a season ago.

- Williams enters the 2021 season as the Big 12's all-time leader, and the NCAA's active leader, in doubles with 64. She is 6 doubles away from joining the NCAA's all-time top-10. She is also just 10 hits behind the NCAA's active leader (Amber Bishop, Liberty - 260).

- Williams ended the 2020 season ranked among the nation's leaders in RBI (No. 20 - 28) and home runs (No. 15 - 9). She was the Big 12's RBI leader and ranked No. 2 in the conference in total bases (62).

- The Cyclones will be a young team again this year, with 67.9 percent (19-of-28) of the roster being underclassmen, including an 11-player freshman class.

- Iowa State had the youngest pitching staff in the nation in 2020, and assistant coach Kate Sinnott did a masterful job with her bullpen. All 158.1 innings of work in the circle last season were handled by the freshman trio of Karlie Charles, Janessa Jasso and Ellie Spelhaug.

- Junior Shannon Mortimer, who did not play in 2020 due to injury, is the lone upperclassman in the ISU bullpen, and is the only pitcher on Iowa State's staff with experience playing in a Big 12 game.

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Players Mentioned

Karlie Charles

Janessa Jasso

Shannon Mortimer

Logan Schaben

Ellie Spelhaug

Sami Williams

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics