The 2016 softball season begins this weekend as Kent State heads south to compete at the Florida Gulf Coast Kickoff Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. The Golden Flashes get started against Illinois-Chicago at 9 a.m. on Friday in the first of five games over three days. After a nightcap against Memphis on Friday, the Flashes will play Middle Tennessee and Michigan State on Saturday. The weekend concludes against host Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.
While the Flashes feature several new faces, a core of 12 letterwinners from last season's Mid-American Conference regular season championship team that won 41 games returns to lead the pursuit of back-to-back titles.