Women's Open Preview

The first of four previews will focus on the Women's Open division:

Pool A features defending 2012 Open Champion James Madison.  They will open defense of their title against Boston College, who was in the Championship Round of 16 a year ago, Iowa State, who was in last year's Open tournament as well and Northern Arizona who last played in the 2011 Open tournament.

Pool B has Virginia who reached last year's Championship semifinals before falling to eventual national champion Michigan State, Texas Tech, Denver, who last we saw in the 2009 consolation quarterfinals and Arizona State who last played in the 2011 Open tournament.

Pool C has Kansas, who reached the Championship Round of 16 last year, UC Davis, Villanova, who returns from last year's Open tourney and Texas "B" who also played in Open last year.

Pool D features Cal who was the consolation winner last year, Miami (FL) who reached the Open quarterfinals last year, Penn and Wisconsin-Milwaukee who played in the last year's Open tourney as well.

Pool E contains Cornell, consolation quarterfinalists last year, Vanderbilt who reached the Open quarters last year, Colorado "Black" Open participants last year and hte University of Mary Washington.

Finally, Pool F will have Northeastern who we last saw in the 2011 Open tourney, San Diego State who were in the consolation semifinals last year, Washington University-St. Louis who played in last year's tourney and Colorado School of Mines who also played last year in Open.

With a wide open field this year who will win?

First Open games will be played on Thursday at 11:30 am with, among others, defending champion James Madison opening their defense against Iowa State.