March 22, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The University of Virginia softball team will host Bowling Green, Liberty and Penn State in the Who's Hoo Tournament held Friday through Sunday, March 23-25 at The Park on the North Grounds of the University. The four teams will play round-robin doubleheaders against one another during the three-day tournament.

Virginia opens the tournament by playing Liberty in a doubleheader on Friday (March 23) with the first game beginning at 9:00 a.m. The second game will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m. The second doubleheader of the tournament is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and features Bowling Green and Penn State. On Saturday, Liberty and Penn State start the day with a doubleheader at 9:00 a.m., while UVa will play Bowling Green with the first of two games starting at 1:00 p.m. In the third and final day of the tournament on Sunday, Liberty and Bowling Green are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 9:00 a.m. Virginia and Penn State conclude play in the Who's Hoo Tournament with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The Cavaliers enter the tournament with a 22-8 record and have won 18 of their last 20 games. UVa has won three of its last four tournaments, including the Winthrop Invitational, held March 16-18. Virginia also won the Cavalier Classic (March 2-3) in its only home action of the season, and the UNC-Charlotte 49er Invitational (March 9-11). Penn State is 13-7 on the season, while Bowling Green is 7-7. Liberty enters the tournament with a 9-20 mark.

Virginia has been led in the 2001 season by third-year pitcher/first baseman Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon). Dennis, who was named both the ACC Player and Pitcher of the Week on March 19, is hitting an impressive .417 (35-84) with a single season school record nine home runs and 27 RBI. She has a slugging percentage of .845 and an on-base percentage of .520. Dennis is 7-3 as a pitcher and sports a 1.07 ERA. She has recorded 94 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 65.2 innings of work. Second-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) is hitting .346 with a career-best four home runs and leads the team with 24 runs scored. Fourth-year right fielder Meaghan Young (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury), UVa's all-time leader in hits (229) and doubles (42), is batting .317 with a team leading eight doubles.

2001 Who's Hoo Tournament Schedule

         Friday, March 23          Saturday, March 24        Sunday, March 25
9:00 am  Virginia vs. Liberty      Penn St. vs. Liberty      Liberty vs. Bowl. Green
11:00 am Liberty vs. Virginia      Liberty vs. Penn State    Bowl. Green vs. Liberty
1:00 pm  Bowl. Green vs. Penn St.  Virginia vs. Bowl. Green  Virginia vs. Penn St.
3:00 pm  Penn St. vs. Bowl. Green  Bowl. Green vs. Virginia  Penn St. vs. Virginia