NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University softball team opens its 2007 season this weekend when it travels to Fairfax, Va., to play in the George Mason Patriot Classic Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, the Purple Eagles open with host George Mason at 9 a.m. and then play Cornell at 11 p.m. On Sunday, Niagara plays the Big Red again at 9 .m. and then Central Connecticut State at 11 a.m.

Niagara returns 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2006 team. Senior Nicole Sum (Burnaby, B.C.) and junior Tory Healy (Las Vegas, Nev.) headline the returners as they were named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason team.

Sum, a first team All-MAAC pick last year, was second on the team in hits (42) and doubles (10) and third in hitting (.309) and RBI (23).

Healy, a 2006 and 2005 second-team All-MAAC selection, was second in hitting (.351), hits (46) and home runs (9) and first in doubles (12) and RBI (36).

George Mason is already five games into its season. The Patriots lost their first four games before beating Alabama State, 2-1 on Feb. 25. Kelsey Mack leads the team with a .417 batting average with five hits, including a double. On the mound, Arielle Weinkofsky is 2-1 with a 2.10 earned-run average.

Cornell will also be opening its season this weekend. The Big Red finished the 2006 season with a 32-23 record.

Central Connecticut State is also seeing its first action of the season after finishing with an 8-38 record.

Last year, Niagara beat George Mason, 7-6, and split with Cornell in the Classic.