![Melinda Fischer](https://www.wjbc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/389/2016/05/MelindaFischer630.jpg)
By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL -The Illinois State softball team released its fall 2016 schedule as announced by head coach Melinda Fischer on Wednesday. The Redbirds will play in eight exhibition games between September and October per the NCAA.
“With our fall schedule, we really try to incorporate scrimmages against local community colleges while also playing as many Division I schools as possible with the remaining games we have,” Fischer said.
The Redbirds begin their fall season with its annual Alumni Game Sept. 11 at Marian Kneer Stadium. Several Redbird alumni will return to campus to play against the 2017 squad.
Illinois State will serve as host to Lake Land, Heartland, and Illinois Central College in for three Wednesdays this fall. The Redbirds will travel to Wisconsin for a doubleheader on September 25 to wrap up the first month’s schedule.
The Redbirds will take on three additional opponents in October: DePaul, Western Michigan, and Notre Dame. ISU will travel to Rosemont, Illinois for a single game against the Blue Demons of DePaul on Oct. 1. Illinois State wraps up play at Notre Dame on Oct. 9, playing both the host school and Western Michigan.
“We have a really large team this year. With 23 players, that’s probably one of the bigger teams we’ve had in the last 10 years. The fall season is so valuable to get all 23 players into positions and different situations just to get a good evaluation of the team moving forward to individual practices come October and November.”
ISU concludes the fall slate with Parents’ Day in mid-October as the final preparations before the 2017 spring season.