The WKU baseball team announced its 2011 schedule on Friday.

The non-conference portion of the schedule contains home-and-home series against Kentucky, Louisvile, Vanderbilt and Belmont in addition to a three-game home series against Bowling Green state to kick off the season.

In all, 10 teams on the schedule made the NCAA Tournament last season.

“We have always taken the stance that to be an outstanding program, you have to play outstanding programs, and we certainly have had success doing that in the past,” Head Coach Chris Finwood said

After the three-game set against Bowling Green, the Toopers then head to Myrtle Beach, S.C., to participate in the Baseball at the Beach Tournament hosted by Coastal Carolina. The event is contested at BB&T Coastal Field, which is home to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Class-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves), and will feature Kansas State, Coastal Carolina and Pacific.

WKU begins the Sun Belt Conference portion of its schedule March 18-20 in Bowling Green against Middle Tennessee. With the departure of UNO, the SBC opted to schedule a second series against each team’s natural rival, meaning WKU will make a return trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for the final series of the regular season, May 19-21.

“This home-and-home will add an extra dimension to everyone’s conference slate and could go a long way in determining the league champion,” Finwood said. “I think it’s great for our fans to have MTSU here every year.”

The Sun Belt Conference Tournament is set for May 25-29 in Monroe, La., and the NCAA Tournament begins June 3.