The 1999-2000 Iowa State softball team kicks off its fall season this weekend by hosting the ISU Fall Tournament on its home field.

Drake, Kirkwood, Mankato, Grandview and ISU will battle it out Saturday and Sunday. Although the games on the Cyclone’s fall schedule don’t count in the win-loss column, they provide a great amount of experience for some of the younger players.

Ruth Crowe, who is in her fourth season as head softball coach, feels that the fall season helps out a lot.

“You can use as many dates as you want in the fall. We use it really as an opportunity to get our freshmen acclimated to college softball. Our system is a little more complex than what they are use to in high school. It’s a whole new game for them, so it really is a great opportunity for them to get their feet wet,” Crowe said.

The Cyclones come off of a 22-30 record from last year, which was last in the Big 12 conference.

ISU was very competitive in the conference though, losing eight of its 11 conference games by only one run.

The Big 12 sent seven of its 10 softball teams to the NCAA tournament last season, which is second only to the PAC-10 which sent eight teams.

This year the Cyclones have their standards set much higher, aiming for a top-half finish in the conference.

Crowe believes this is the year for the Cyclones to show what they are made of.

“Our goal is to be in the upper half, definitely,” she said.

“Anything else would be a major disappointment. Anything above that is where we see ourselves being. We feel like we are at that point now where we need to take that next step. This is the year where we expect to do that.”

There is plenty of reason to be on the lookout for the Cyclones this season.

The team features a mixture of seasoned veterans and young talent, putting a bright outlook on the season.

Only one graduating senior was lost from last season, Erin Woods, but she was a huge loss, Crowe said.

“Filling her shoes will be very difficult for us. She is now competing for an Olympic spot in Canada. So, you don’t really fill someone’s shoes that easy, it’s kind of a process,” Crowe said.

Plenty of talent was picked up during the off-season, including two big name recruits from right here in Iowa.

National strikeout queen Jen Bice from Woodward and Erica Martinez, a big-time home run hitter from Fort Madison, both will add a great deal of talent to the Cyclone ball club.

But Coach Crowe still believes that much of the success of the season will ride on the seven seniors on the squad, especially the captains.

Shortstop Jessica Polo, third baseman Michelle Junod and center fielder Lisa Frank make up the captain trio. Polo was a all-conference selection last year, and Junod was her sophomore year.

Crowe hopes to see Junod back at that level of play. The pitching staff of this year’s squad will be very important to the team.

Mandy Loushin and Kristin Ferguson will head up the staff, as they have in the past two years.

“They have really done most of the pitching the past two years, and then with the addition of Jen Bice and Erica Martinez, that should help,” Crowe said.

“I’m really excited about this fall,” she said.

“We have some great experience that will really help us, but we also have some newer players that will add to that experience.”

ISU kicks off its fall season this Saturday at 9 a.m. against Drake. The Cyclones take on Mankato and Kirkwood at 3 p.m.

The team is in action again on Sunday, facing Mankato again at 1 p.m., Drake at 3 p.m. The weekend ends against Grandview at 5 p.m.