Gator Softball Slated to Play Four Games on ESPN During 2011 Regular Season
Thursday, January 20, 2011 | Softball
The Florida softball team will appear on the ESPN family of networks four times during the 2011 regular season, announced by ESPN and the Southeastern Conference Thursday afternoon. The ESPN network will offer a vast schedule of Southeastern Conference softball games for the 2011 season, including 11 regular-season games and coverage of the 2011 SEC Tournament in Oxford, Miss., May 12-14. The SEC had a successful 2010 season that saw three softball teams advance to the Women's College World Series.
The Gators, who made their third straight WCWS appearance last season (49-10; 20-4 SEC) and finished the campaign No. 6 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll will play host to 2010 SEC Tournament Champion Alabama April 22-24. The Gators and Tide will appear on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. April 23, as well as ESPN at 1 p.m. April 24 in the final match-up of the three-game weekend series. Florida will additionally play host to WCWS participant Tennessee when the Vols visit Gainesville May 6-8. ESPN will carry the May 7, noon game live, while the 3 p.m. match-up on May 8 will air on ESPNU.
The ESPN/SEC softball package will include five teams ranked in the final USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll. Three SEC Softball Championship quarterfinals, on Thursday, May 12, will air on ESPNU with the final game of the day on ESPN2. Both semifinals on Friday, May 13, will air on ESPNU and the championship game on Saturday, May 14, will be seen on ESPN.
The 2010 season saw three SEC softball teams advance to the Women's College World Series – Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, and overall nine programs earned a NCAA Championship berth.
Florida's complete television schedule will be released in early February to include any games broadcast by CSS and Sun Sports/FOX Sports Florida.
SEC Softball Schedule (Schedule subject to change; all ESPN/ESPN2 games to be simulcast on ESPN3.com)
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Sat, Mar 19 | 8 p.m. | Georgia at Alabama | ESPNU |
| Fri, Apr 1 | 8 p.m. | Auburn at Tennessee | ESPNU |
| Sat, Apr 9 | 2 p.m. | Kentucky at Georgia | ESPNU |
| Sun, Apr 10 | 2 p.m. | Alabama at LSU | ESPNU |
| Sat, Apr 16 | Noon | Tennessee at LSU | ESPN2 |
| Sun, Apr 17 | 3 p.m. | South Carolina at Arkansas | ESPNU |
| Fri, Apr 22 | 6 p.m. | LSU at Ole Miss | ESPNU |
| Sat, Apr 23 | 4 p.m. | Alabama at Florida | ESPN2 |
| Sun, Apr 24 | 1 p.m. | Alabama at Florida | ESPN |
| Sat, May 7 | Noon | Tennessee at Florida | ESPN |
| Sun, May 8 | 3 p.m. | Tennessee at Florida | ESPNU |
| Thu, May 12 | Noon | SEC Quarterfinals | ESPNU |
| Thu, May 12 | 2:30 p.m. | SEC Quarterfinals | ESPNU |
| Thu, May 12 | 5 p.m. | SEC Quarterfinals | ESPNU |
| Thu, May 12 | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Quarterfinals | ESPN2 |
| Fri, May 13 | 3 p.m. | SEC Semifinals | ESPNU |
| Fri, May 13 | 5:30 p.m. | SEC Semifinals | ESPNU |
| Sat, May 14 | 8 p.m. | SEC Championship | ESPN |
*All times Eastern
