Coach Kathy Rodolph and company just revealed the Aggies' 2012 slate, which features several marquee opponents and a dramatic increase in the number of away and neutral-site games. In years past, New Mexico State has suffered from relatively weak Ratings Percentage Index numbers that often put the Aggies' NCAA hopes in danger even before a season began. That won't be the case next year.
With 13 returning letterwinners and the highest-profile freshman pitcher in school history (All-American Karysta Donisthorpe) on board, New Mexico State is gunning for a repeat of its 2011 WAC title. However, as 2010 Women's College World Series team Hawai'i found out last season,staying at the top may be even more difficult than getting there.
Unlike last year when even a sterling record and regular season conference title couldn't guarantee an NCAA berth by virtue of a middling RPI, this season's slate is dotted with heavyweights. It's a schedule that should ensure a high RPI, provided the wins come as expected.
For the first time, New Mexico State will participate in the country's most prestigious in-season tournament, the Cathedral City Classic. Over three days, the Aggies will face 2011 WCWS team California, NCAA Super Regional teams Stanford and Oregon, and NCAA regional finalist San Diego State, among others.
At the Diamond Devil Invitational in March, host and defending national champion Arizona State is on the docket, along with a pair of NCAA teams from a season ago -- East Carolina and defending Big West Conference champion Pacific. Contests against NCAA regional finalist Nebraska and tourney qualifier Indiana highlight the home non-conference schedule, which features more than 10 fewer games than a season ago.
In the uneven WAC schedule, the Aggies play three home series versus four away. They'll open defense of their regular-season title in Provo against conference affiliate member BYU. The series with the Cougars begins only two days after New Mexico State returns to the site of its only NCAA Tournament appearance in history. The Aggies take on perennial power Arizona in a doubleheader in Tucson on March 21.
Hawai'i and Nevada will each make their final regular-season trips to Las Cruces as WAC members in 2012, while New Mexico State will travel to face Fresno State in California in April for the final time as conference opponents. The Bulldogs, Rainbow Wahine and Wolf Pack will all depart the WAC after this season.
New Mexico State, despite being the only team in the conference that failed to draw a crowd in excess of 300 to a WAC home contest last season, was awarded the role of league tournament host. The Aggies will host the tourney in Las Cruces for the second time in three years. The 2012 event runs May 9-12.
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