The
Incarnate Word Cardinals
The Incarnate Word Cardinals, also known as UIW Cardinals, are composed of 23 teams representing the University of the Incarnate Word in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & div ...
softball team represents the
University of the Incarnate Word, located in
San Antonio, TX. The Cardinals are a member of the
Southland Conference and participate in
NCAA Division I college softball
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the Intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is nor ...
. The team is currently led by head coach Kimberly Dean and plays home games at H-E-B Field.
During the 2013–14 season the Cardinals started the four-year transitional period from NCAA Division 2 to Division 1.
History
The first season for the Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team was 1987. The team first competed in
NAIA,
NCAA Division II, and is currently in the NCAA Division I since 2014. The Cardinals have been members of four conferences over the life of the program, the Heart of Texas (HOTC) Conference as NAIA and NCAA Division II, the
Heartland Conference
The Heartland Conference was a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level, which was founded in 1999. The majority of members were in Texas, with additional members in A ...
, the
Lone Star Conference at NCAA Division II, and the
Southland Conference as an NCAA Division I team. As of the conclusion of the abbreviated 2020 season, the team has an all-time record of 718–898–3 (.472). They participated in NCAA Division II postseason play three times, NAIA postseason play two times. The Cardinals won the Heartland Conference championship in 2006 and the Lone Star Conference tournament championship in 2012. Additionally, they won the Lone Star Conference regular season South Division championship in 2011.
Stadium
H-E-B Field
H-E-B Field is the home
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
for the
Division I (NCAA) Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team. The stadium is located on the campus of the
University of the Incarnate Word in
San Antonio, Texas. Amenities include bleacher seating for 250 fans; field lighting; an electronic scoreboard; enclosed dugouts; concessions; and restrooms.
AstroTurf RootZone Diamond OPS Series field turf, new backstops, netting, and other visual improvements were installed in 2018 as Phase I of improvements to both the baseball stadium and softball stadium. The softball stadium was renamed H-E-B Field from Cardinals Field at the same time. The combined cost of the Phase I renovations was $1.2 million.
Over the years, the stadium has been host of numerous tournaments including the annual UIW Alamo Invitational.
References
External links
Incarnate Word Cardinals Softball Official Website
Incarnate Word Cardinals softball
College softball venues in the United States
Softball venues in Texas
Sports venues in San Antonio
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