ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell softball team, with three straight Ivy League division titles and two Ancient Eight crowns in tow, will open the 2012 season when it heads south to compete in the George Mason-Patriot Classic. All games will be played at the George Mason Softball Complex in Fairfax, Va.

Cornell is scheduled to play four games this weekend, with two games on Saturday and two more on Sunday. It will be the first of three straight weekend trips to George Mason as the Big Red tries to hide from the early March weather in the Northeast. Head coach Dick Blood's team will suit up to open the season on Saturday at 10 a.m. against Marist, then comes back for a 2:30 p.m. contest with Rider. It will then battle Rider again on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. before heading back to Ithaca after a matchup with the host Colonials at 3:45 p.m.

The Big Red went 27-22-1 a season ago, claiming a third consecutive South Division title before dropping the Ivy League championship series to Harvard. It was the 15th consecutive season the Big Red has posted 25 or more wins, including 13 years with at least 30 victories.

Blood is the all-time winningest coach in Cornell athletics history for a single sport and enters the season with 542 victories, a mark that surpassed legendary former baseball coach Ted Thoren (1962-1980) who went 541-520-11 during his 29-year career. He has posted a 542-245-2 mark at Cornell with five conference crowns.

Gone is senior Marissa Amiraian (.413, 42 runs), who spearheaded the Big Red at the top of the lineup, and two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Elizabeth Dalrymple (19-9, 1.98 ERA, 211 Ks in 194.1 IP), but the cupboard is far from bare. Junior Kristen Towne batted .299 with nine doubles, six home runs and 27 RBI, while classmate Erin Belles hit .318 with six home runs and 17 RBI. Impressive sophomores Christina Villalon (.295, 4 HR, 18 RBI), Jenny Edwards (.247, 5 HR, 29 RBI) and Lauren Bucolo (.258, 3 HR, 17 RBI) also return. In the circle, Lauren Marx is the team's most experienced hurler, posting a 17-8 career record and a 3.66 ERA.

Marist is 2-5 this season with victories over Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T. All nine starters return from last season's squad that went 33-22, including an impressive 12-4 in MAAC play to finish second. All-MAAC selection Ashley Corriss is off to a fast start (.360), while Danielle Koltz is batting .500 with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI. All-MAAC pitcher Emily Osterhaus has struggled out of the gates with an 0-1 record and a 7.17 ERA in three appearances.

Rider went 9-37 a year ago, but returns six starters and 11 letter winners for head coach Tricia Carroll. The Broncs have started 0-5 this season dueto struggles at the plate, with the team hitting just .149 and scoring five runs in its five games. The defense has been fantastic, posting a .970 fielding percentage and turning six double plays. In the circle, Rider pitchers have posted an 11.75 ERA and have walked 44 hitters in 28.0 innings.

George Mason returns 13 position players and three starting pitchers from last season's squad that went 19-25. The Patriots are currently 1-6 heading into the weekend despite big hitting by Rachael Davies (.412, 5 RBI) and Brooke Blankenship (.391). GMU's pitchers have combined to allow opponents to hit .344 and have posted a 6.46 ERA with 27 walks and just 18 strikeouts in 43.1 innings of work thus far.