KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan softball team will take the field for the first time in 341 days on Friday, Feb. 12, when the Broncos open the 2021 season against DePaul and Kansas City. Both games are set to the played at The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.

First pitch against the Blue Demons is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT, followed by a 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT showdown with the Roos. Both games will be streamed live via DePaulBlueDemons.com.

| Back In Action

The Broncos played 21 games last season before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the duration of the schedule. WMU opened the year in Arizona, highlighted by a 9-7 victory over No. 22 Arizona State. WMU had won two of its last three games before the remainder of the season was canceled prior to a weekend trip to Dayton, Ohio, for games with Dayton and Wright State. Sydney Stefanick paced the Broncos at the plate in the short season, hitting .364 with a pair of homers and eight RBI. Kaylen Glenfield and Samantha Coffel were also hitting over .300. All three return to the lineup this season.

Stefanick was also leading the way in the circle, having started 12 of 21 games on the year. She earned three victories while striking out 48 batters. Reily Galloway made seven starts for WMU, including a complete-game shutout victory over Providence College in which she struck out 10 Friars and allowed two hits.

Head coach Kathy Leitke enters her 21st season at the helm of the program. She's guided the Broncos to a total of four MAC championships (two tournament, two regular season) while winning 441 games turing her tenure, making her the program's all-time wins leader.

| Scouting DePaul

The Blue Demons also open their 2021 campaign this weekend, hosting WMU, Kansas City, Western Illinois, Loyola Chicago and Valparaiso. DePaul was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST by the league's coaches. DePaul held an 8-12 mark when play was halted in 2020, but went 35-16 in 2019, winning the BIG EAST tournament and advancing to the NCAA's Ann Arbor Regional. The Blue Demons return 15 players from the 2020 roster.

| Scouting Kansas City

The Roos were 6-13 at the early conclusion of the 2020 season. In 2019, Kansas City went 27-29, with a 6-12 record in WAC play. Now in the Summit League, the Roos were picked to finish fifth this season by the league's coaches. They return eight upperclassmen from last year's team.

| On Deck

After opening the season in the Chicago suburbs, the Broncos will be off for two weeks before traveling to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete at Bellarmine. WMU will face the host Knights twice, while also playing a pair against Morehead State.

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