WICHITA, Kan. - One season removed from playing one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country, Wichita State softball head coach Kristi Bredbenner has once again delivered a schedule worthy of that distinction for 2013.

The Shockers will play nine teams that participated in the 64-team NCAA tournament this past spring. Included in that mix is defending national champion Alabama and national runner-up Oklahoma. The Sooners, and returning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Keilani Ricketts, will make the trip north on Interstate-35 for a Mar. 6 doubleheader that will mark the home opener for Wichita State.

Additional NCAA tournament teams the Shockers will play include: Coastal Carolina (Big South Conference tournament champion), Florida Gulf Coast (Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champion), Georgia Southern (Southern Conference regular season and tournament champion), Illinois State (Missouri Valley Conference tournament champion), Mississippi State (SEC at-large), Mississippi Valley State (SWAC undefeated regular season and tournament champion), and Tulsa (Conference USA regular season and tournament champion).

Wichita State will open the season in Monroe, La. at the Mardi Gras Classic, Feb. 8-10. In Monroe, the Shockers will play games against UC-Santa Barbara, Grambling State, Mississippi Valley State, Louisiana-Monroe, and Northwestern State.

The Shockers open Missouri Valley Conference play at home on Mar. 16 against Indiana State.

Creighton will host the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Omaha, Neb., May 9-11.

You can view the rest of the 2013 schedule here.

-WICHITA STATE-